


One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower

by moonlitinuyasha1985, XFangHeartX



Series: One Piece PETs [12]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Anthropomorphic, F/M, POV Female Character, POV Male Character, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2015-03-21
Packaged: 2018-01-15 21:42:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 78,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1320217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlitinuyasha1985/pseuds/moonlitinuyasha1985, https://archiveofourown.org/users/XFangHeartX/pseuds/XFangHeartX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>From each of their POVs. Zoro's & Robin's growing relationship.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part I

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part I**

 

(I do not own One Piece. This wonderful series belongs to Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

**_***Robin's POV***_ **

 

Hello. My name is Nico Robin. I am a Purple Eurasian Crane Woman, and the archaeologist of the Straw Hat pirates.

 

I've been leading a rather complicated life. About as complicated as Nami's...maybe even more.

 

  20 years ago, in my former homeland, Ohara, I was bullied by the children and treated as though I was some kind of monster. It was even worse when I was forced to live with my aunt. She abused me, always told me how no one wanted me, and treated me as though I was nothing but a burden. I was never allowed to participate in any family celebrations. It was very hurtful.

 

Though, things weren't all that bad...

 

I had my teachers, and my friend, Jaguar D. Saul. Saul thought me how to laugh. It was very nice and comforting, having him for a friend.

 

Until one day...

 

...the Buster Call happened.

 

  The marines came to destroy Ohara, and to erase any trace of my teacher's research on the Void Century. They thought that we were trying to unleash a deadly weapon upon the world.

 

That wasn't true, of course.

 

  All we wanted was to learn the true history of this world. Apparently, they didn't want anyone to know about it. Some people are afraid of what they don't understand. I know that fact all too well.

 

That day was also the first time I met my mother, Nico Olvia...

 

...it was also the last time I saw her.

 

My friend, Saul, was another casualty of the destruction of Ohara. Before he was frozen to death by Aokiji, he told me,

 

"No one in this world is born to be alone! Go out there, Robin, and I'm sure that you'll find some nakama who will love and protect you with their very lives! Now go!!"

 

"But Saul--!" I cried.

 

"No! It's too late for me. Just go, or else Aokiji will catch you, too!" he shouted.

 

  I look...and I see Aokiji coming right for me. As much as I didn't want to leave Saul...I had no choice. I ran, Aokiji had caught up to me, though. I was absolutely terrified.

 

Surprisingly, he helped me escape. I didn't really know whether to be grateful or not. Either way, I escaped.

 

  I was on a boat, and from a distance, I could see Ohara burning. I laughed, like how Saul taught me...but, it was very painful. So much so that I cried.

 

This pain was only the beginning...

 

  I gained a bounty of 79 million Berries on my head. The government made up a terrible rumor about me sinking six marine ships. Many people tried to sell me out in order to receive the reward.

 

This one old woman took me in to her home, but the same thing happened with her, too.

 

I ran from that place.

 

  Next, a couple takes me into their home, as well. One night, I heard them talking about how taking me in was a lot more trouble than it was worth, and they even thought about turning me into the Marines...

 

...I began to feel like I couldn't trust anybody. Not even the rogue criminals I joined up with for protection.

 

  I eventually came to be a member of a criminal syndicate known as "Baroque Works". My codename was "Ms. All Sunday". My partner...was Mr. 0, also known as the Shichibukai...Crocodile.

 

He wanted to use my ability to read the poneglyphs in order to build Pluton, an ancient weapon from the Void Century.

 

Of course...I wasn't really going to do that, but I'm getting a bit ahead of myself.

 

Eventually, I ran into the Straw Hat Pirates on Whiskey Peak after I... *ahem* ... "killed" Mr. 8, otherwise known as Igaram.

 

They weren't all that happy to see me, unsurprisingly. Especially Princess Vivi.

 

For some reason...I felt this odd connection with their swordsman.

 

  Despite that, him and everyone else were ready to strike at me. So, I had no choice but to defend myself. They could tell that I had Devil Fruit powers.

 

One of them, a Fox Man, complimented me how beautiful I was after this. Cute.

 

  Next, I explained to them that the island they are heading to was Little Garden. I even warned them about the dangers that awaited them at that place. I gave them the Eternal Pose to another island, then their captain, Straw Hat Luffy, broke it.

 

"You're not the one who decides where this ship goes!" he told me.

 

  His navigator, a Boot Puss Woman, chastised him for it. I, for one, couldn't help but giggle at the Black Capuchin Monkey Man. His simpleminded attitude was adorable.

 

Nonetheless, I could tell they wanted me to leave, so I left on my turtle, Bunchi.

 

However...I couldn't stop thinking about that Siberian Tiger Man as I left.

 

**_***Zoro's POV***_ **

 

Hey, Roronoa Zoro here. I'm a Siberian Tiger man, and the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates.

 

Anyway, after that whole crazy debacle in Whiskey Peak, we're sailing with Vivi towards the next island when we heard a voice talking to us,

 

"This ship is nice."

 

  We turn around and we see this Purple Eurasian Crane Woman sitting on the rail behind us. Vivi told us who she was: Miss All Sunday of the organization, Baroque Works. She was the one behind killing that cross-dressing Igaram guy.

 

We were all ready to attack, until she used her Devil Fruit ability to stop us.

 

Damn cook started swooning over her after this...idiot.

 

  Then she gave us a warning to stay away from the next island, which is called Little Garden, and she gave us an Eternal Pose to go somewhere else...but my captain, Luffy, broke it.

 

In typical fashion, Nami didn't take it too well.

 

That Crane Woman only giggled at this. Then, she left on her giant turtle.

 

I don't know why, but after that, I couldn't get her out of my mind.


	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Part II of The Demon and the Flower._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part II**

 

(I do not, nor will I ever, own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda does.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Well, I finally made it back to Alabasta. Thank goodness.

 

  I made all of the necessary arrangements for the meeting of all of the Baroque Works agents, located in the basement of the Rain Dinners Casino. Once they had all assembled, Crocodile told them all about his plan.

 

We were to take out the Straw Hat Pirates, as well as Princess Vivi...and begin Operation: Utopia.

 

  The meeting was interrupted by Mr. 3, though. He was a man who ate the Wax-Wax Fruit, you see. Could make anything out of wax, from weapons to keys to replicas of himself and other people.

 

  He unwittingly told Crocodile that he let the Straw Hats and Princess Vivi escape. That obviously irritated Crocodile. So much so that he absorbed the most of the water in Mr. 3's body, and fed him to one of his Bananagators.

 

How cruel.

 

The other agents were blue in the face when Crocodile did this. I, on the other hand, remained calm.

 

They all received pictures of the Straw Hats, except that Fox Man, thanks to Mr. 2's abilities. After that, it was time to execute our plan.

 

  Later on, I met up with the Princess, again. I didn't see her little friends though. Odd. To be honest, I was looking forward to seeing that swordsman again, although I couldn't understand why at the moment. I wonder where he could be.

 

_'Oh, well.'_ I thought.

 

I told her, "We've been waiting for you...Miss Wednesday."

 

Naturally, she wasn't all that happy to see me. Even tried attacking me, saying,

 

"STOP SCREWING WITH US!!!"

 

I simply moved out of her way.

 

"Really? Is that the kind of coarse language a princess should use?" I asked.

 

Vivi turned and growled at me. That was when I used my Devil Fruit ability on her.

 

_'Now that I've captured her, I can get down to business.'_

 

I was about to take her down to the basement, until one of the guardians of Alabasta flew up to me in order to save her.

 

Pell, I think his name was.

 

So, I used my _Tres Fleur_ on him.

 

  Pell and Vivi were surprised by what I had just done. I explained to them that I had eaten the Flower Flower fruit, making me able to sprout limbs as if they were flowers. I demonstrated by breaking Pell's back.

 

Then, I took Vivi down to the basement of the casino.

 

"Let me go! Where are you taking me?!" she asked.

 

"To see Mr. 0, of course." I answered.

 

She gasped.

 

Once we made it down the stairs, we met up with Crocodile.

 

"Here's our guest, Mr. 0," I said.

 

Vivi had a shocked expression on her face when she saw Crocodile.

 

"Good to see you...Princess Vivi," Crocodile said. "Kuahahahaha...!"

 

_'Ugh! Such an uncouth laugh.'_ I thought.

 

Soon, Vivi and Crocodile had a bit of a conversation...and not a very friendly one. He then explained his plan to the princess.

 

Of course, she thought he was mad. Which, he is.

 

  Then...Crocodile showed Vivi the Straw Hats, all trapped in a cage, as well as "White Chaser" Smoker. I was happy to see that swordsman again, even if I didn't show it.

 

  Unfortunately, it was time for us to leave...but not before Crocodile began to flood the room with water so that the Straw Hats and Smoker would drown. He even threw the key to the cage into the Bananagator tank, and one of them ate it.

 

Then we left.

 

As we were leaving the casino, Crocodile revealed that the key he threw away was a fake, and he had the real key with him the whole time.

 

"You're bad." I told him.

 

He truly is...guess I won't be seeing that Tiger Man again.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

This is great. Just freaking great! We finally arrive in Alabasta, only for all this mess to happen! Un-freaking-believable!

 

Oh, and in case you haven't figured it out by now, YES, I'm being sarcastic!

 

  So, after we meet Luffy's older brother, Portgas D. Ace, also known as "Fire Fist" Ace, second commander of the Whitebeard pirates, great guy, btw, we crossed the scorching hot desert to reach Yuba, only to find that it's completely dried up.

 

Next, we met up with an old friend of Vivi's. I think his name was...Toto or something. I forget.

 

  Anyhow, the old man was digging around the place, because he was trying to find a way to bring the water back to Yuba. Luffy decided to help him.

 

After helping the old man, Luffy and Vivi had a bit of a fight, then we all ended up in this place called _Rainbase_.

 

Odd name for a place that didn't have much rain...

 

  Anyway, Chopper left to use the little boy's room and Usopp and Luffy ran off to get water. You will never guess who those two ran into...

 

I'll give you a hint: the guy smokes more than that perverted cook.

 

That's right. It's Smoker, and he brought that girl with him!

 

  So, we ran, and we left Chopper and the stupid Fox cook behind. As we're running from Smoker, we take a detour...and we somehow ended up in some cage!

 

I think I'm starting to understand how Ash Ketchum feels.

 

(A/N: I had to add this one in! XD )

 

  Anyway, it turns out we're stuck in the basement of this casino. Not only that, but the cage we were in had this odd effect on Luffy! He just felt weak and collapsed whenever he touched the bars!

 

  As if that wasn't bad enough, that damn Smoker pinned him down with his jutte, which also had a weird effect on Luffy, and to make matters even worse, we were surrounded by these giant alligators with bananas growing out of their heads, and trapped in a room that is being flooded with water!

 

To put it simply: we're doomed!

 

  Before the room got flooded, we met up with Crocodile and that Crane Woman, who had captured Vivi. Crocodile told us all about his plan. That guy's insane.

 

  As pissed off as I was, I also felt a little happy when I saw the crane woman, again. I have no idea, why, considering the fact that she's our enemy.

 

Anyhoo, back to our current predicament.

 

Basically, we're f***ed. That's right, I said it. We are F-*-*-*-E-D! F***ED! You're probably wondering, what does Luffy do about all of this?

 

Well...

 

...instead of worrying about getting us out, he and Usopp were making stupid impressions!

 

Although, I gotta admit, Luffy kinda got the cook down...a bit. Don't tell him I said that.

 

Nami knocked some sense into those two...literally.

 

"GET SERIOUS!!!" she shouted.

 

Then she hits me, too! All I was doing was taking a quick nap to refuel my energy! I will never understand what Luffy sees in her.

 

  Anyway, with the water rising fast, it looks like we don't have any way out, but then, guess who decides to show up and save our asses.

 

I'll give you a hint: He's a lovesick idiot Fox with dartboard eyebrows.

 

Give up? It's the stupid cook, or rather "Mr. Prince".

 

Prince of Retardia, that is.

 

Where the hell did he come up with such a lame codename anyways?!

 

  Anyway, after he kicked one of the Bananagators' ass and kicking the ass of that wax guy we ran into in Little Garden, Sanji got the key and we got outta there.

 

  Suddenly, Luffy says I gotta save Smoker. I don't know why he would tell me do something like that, but hey, he's the captain. so I gotta follow orders.

 

As soon as we were all out of that basement, our next destination was the Royal Palace.

 

Though, Smoker got in our way, asking why we saved him.

 

"I was only following my captain's orders. It was just one of his stupid whims. Pay it no mind," I tell him.

 

He just stood there for a minute, then he said, "I guess this means you won't have any complaints if I arrest you."

 

"See?" the cook asks. "I knew it! This what happens when you save a Marine!"

 

"You didn't let me finish," said Smoker. "Even though I should arrest you...you saved my life...so I'm going to let you go."

 

We were all shocked by this.

 

_'I guess we might as well take advantage of it.'_ I thought.

 

So, we all left, and we hitched a ride on a giant crab. Fancy that.

 

  Before we could leave, Vivi was suddenly snatched by Crocodile! One bad situation after the next! Then, Luffy goes and switches places with Vivi and gets taken instead!

 

"I'll handle Croc! The rest of you, go on without me!" he shouts.

 

  I swear, Nami looked ready to go after him. Poor girl was practically tearing her hair out with worry. As much as it pained us to do so, we all went on ahead without him. Deep down, Nami couldn't help but worry about him.

 

"WE'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU IN ALUBARNA~!!!" Vivi shouts.

 

"RIGHT!" he responds.

 

_'You better make it back alive, Luffy.'_ I thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.


	3. Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Part III of The Demon and the Flower._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part III**

 

(I do not own One Piece, for it belongs to the ever magnificent Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Before arriving at the Royal Palace, I made a quick stop at the desert of Yuba.

 

Postliminary to their fight, Crocodile left Straw Hat Luffy in the quicksand to die after stabbing him through the chest.

 

   Even though he was my enemy...I just couldn't leave him out here. Also...there was something I wanted to know. So, using my Devil Fruit powers, I pulled him out of the sinkhole that Crocodile threw him in.

 

He looked like he was barely alive...poor thing.

 

"Than-Thank you..." he spoke out.

 

That was when I asked him, "Why do you fight? Those of you with the name of 'D'."

 

"'D'?" he questioned as he winced in pain.

 

_'Who are you people? What are your intentions?'_ I thought.

 

"Apparently, you don't have a clue what I'm talking about."

 

Using my powers, I brought his hat over to me.

 

"I found you!" said a voice.

 

I turn around to see that it was Pell, walking over to me.

 

"Where is Vivi?!" he demanded.

 

"My. Awake, already?" I asked, then I tossed the straw hat over to that Monkey Boy.

 

"Now that I've studied your ability, this won't turn out like it did last time." said Pell.

 

I chuckled.

 

"Be careful, Pell. Don't wanna overexert yourself."

 

   I turned to leave, saying, "Perfect timing. Why don't you save the boy before he dies? After all, if it weren't for his courage and selflessness, who knows if your precious princess would've made it back alive at all? It must please you to know Vivi's safe. But, even as we speak, she's on her way to Alubarna. Though, it's a long trip and anything could happen. Guess the situation is what it is."

 

He seemed rather surprised to find out that the Princess was alive.

 

Either way, I left for the palace. Crocodile was waiting for me.

 

   Soon, his plan was set into motion. We kidnapped the king and had the rest of the Baroque Works agents stand outside the borders of Alubarna to keep Princess Vivi out.

 

Eventually, Princess Vivi had arrived.

 

   Unfortunately for her, she was unable to stop the Rebel Army from coming. She tried to have the Royal Army blow up the palace in order to get everyone else's attention, however, this was halted by Crocodile. They tried to enter the palace, but I stopped them with my Devil Fruit ability.

 

   Crocodile then revealed that he planned on blowing up the plaza with a powerful bomb, as well as his true intentions: to find the secret location of the ancient weapon, Pluton, which was believed to be buried underneath the Royal Palace.

 

   A friend of the princess, Kohza, I believe, tried stopping the Rebels by standing with the Royal Army, whose white flag was raised. Too bad for him, he was shot in the back by one of the double agents of Baroque Works, invoking the Rebel Army's wrath. Princess Vivi watched in horror as they all fought to the death.

 

Crocodile grabbed her by her neck and held her above the ground, preparing to drop her.

 

He told her, "Your friend, Straw Hat, is dead."

 

Her eyes widen in disbelief.

 

"Luffy, dead?! Are you serious?!" she asked.

 

"Correct." he answered.

 

   I was about ready to tell her that Straw Hat Luffy was alive, but I wasn't exactly sure if he had really survived. Also...I had appearances to keep. I didn't want to be labeled as a traitor already.

 

Before dropping her, Crocodile said, "...You're little kingdom is doomed. You can't save it."

 

I really did feel bad for the girl. I would've helped her if I could.

 

As she was falling to her death, a voice shouted from the sky.

 

**"CROCODILE~!!"**

 

We couldn't believe our eyes. Well...Crocodile couldn't believe his eyes.

 

   It was Straw Hat Luffy, riding on top of Pell's back, and he caught the Princess just in time. He dropped her off on top of the wall with the rest of his crew.

 

"How in the hell did you get out of that sinkhole?!" Crocodile questioned.

 

I felt a bit nervous when I heard that. Thankfully, Straw Hat didn't tell him how he survived. He only had this to say,

 

"Sorry about worrying you guys. Croc beat me out in the desert...but I'm not gonna lose to him, this time! You guys take care of things here. Let's finish this...once and for all!"

 

I could hear the other Straw Hats and Princess Vivi saying,

 

"Go get him, Luffy."

 

"If anyone can beat him, it's you!!"

 

"You better not die, Luffy!"

 

"Kick his ass!"

 

"You can do it, Luffy!"

 

   With that, they all left. It was just Crocodile, myself, the King, and Straw Hat. The Monkey Man was carrying what appeared to be a barrel of water.

 

"And just what are you going to do with that barrel, Straw Hat?" asked Crocodile.

 

Suddenly, Straw Hat Luffy punches him in the face...and he actually managed to draw blood.

 

His secret? The barrel of water: he drenched his arm with the water before he hit Crocodile. This really caught him off guard.

 

   Water was actually Crocodile's weakness. I believe that was another reason why he created this drought on the whole kingdom, besides triggering the Civil War.

 

This plan of Straw Hat's worked, if only for a little while.

 

   Crocodile started to try and damage the barrel, but Straw Hat kept dodging his attacks. Eventually, he realized he couldn't carry it on his back during the fight. So...he did something I never would've imagined.

 

He drank the entire barrel until it was empty...and he looked so bloated after drinking it. He called this "new form" of his...

 

"Water Luffy."

 

He began to freak out when the water in his belly began leaking out.

 

   I...it was so funny, I couldn't help but laugh! His belly was bulging and the water was sloshing around inside it, and he looked so waterlogged!

 

"I guess I shouldn't have drunk that much water~!" he groaned, water leaking out of his lips and nose.

 

It was just like in _Tom & Jerry_, only different!

 

Anyway, as their fight continued, I removed the nails from King Cobra's arms...rather painfully.

 

"You're going to open the tomb for me," I told him, "and take me to the Poneglyph."

 

   He looked surprised by this. When he asked me why, I simply twisted his wrists (but I didn't break them, I'm not sadistic, you know) and told him not to ask such stupid questions.

 

Meanwhile, Crocodile recovered from the beating he received from Luffy, and demanded that I depart.

 

   On my way there, I ran into Marine Lieutenant Tashigi and her men. I told them to stand aside, though, Lieutenant Tashigi demanded that I release King Cobra.

 

My response?

 

   Well, first, I began to choke her men because they were about to identify me. Next, I incapacitated the lieutenant by twisting her leg.

 

After that, I took King Cobra and left.

 

   We went to the Grave of the past Kings to look for the Poneglyph. As the two of us were walking down the stairs, we had an little conversation.

 

"You mean...you can read Poneglyphs?" he asked me, surprised.

 

"Yes," I answered. "That's the main reason why Crocodile has teamed up with me...and the reason why he can't kill me. I'm no use dead. Don't blame yourself, your majesty. There's no way you could've known there was someone who could reach such ancient text."

 

I turned and looked at him.

 

"The Poneglyph that rests here...reveals the location of Pluton, does it not?"

 

"...How would I know? Generations of Alabastan kings have been entrusted with protecting the Poneglyph. That is our sole duty."

 

"Protect it? Don't make me laugh."

 

He seemed surprised when I said this. Shortly after this, we made it down to the graves.

 

"This place is quite impressive." I commented.

 

"It's located behind the doors in the back." King Cobra said.

 

I went to open the door...and the first...the only thing I see...is the Poneglyph within.

 

I smiled, believing my dream may finally be realized.

 

"There it is." I whispered.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

Well, here we are in Alubarna. No sign of Luffy yet, though.

 

Dammit, if he got lost again, I'll kill him!

 

"You're one to talk, Zoro."

 

"OH, SHUT IT, NAMI!"

 

   Anyway, since we got into Alubarna, we had to deal with Baroque Works! We fooled those idiots into thinking that we were Vivi. I think I did a pretty good impression.

 

   Ahem! Anyhoo, Nami and I were up against Mr. 1 and his partner, Miss Doublefinger. The two of them had recognized me from a few years ago. I kinda killed the first Mr. 1, but only because they wouldn't let me be the boss!

 

   I, then, told the two of them, "Unless you've got a new offer for me. But, to tell you the truth, I'm not interested in being the boss anymore. Only a dumbass would want that job."

 

   The current Mr. 1 was ticked off by this, as if me dissing their wardrobe wasn't proof enough, and attacked me. So, I did the only thing I could do: fight back, of course.

 

Mr. 1 said, "Don't get cocky, you little s***. You're just the swordsman tiger of a little band of two-bit pirates."

 

My response?

 

"So what if I am? What about you, punk? You're just a mindless puppet who's been sold a fantasy world...or maybe you're more of a hollow soldier!"

 

As we were about to duel, I realized something. He had Devil Fruit powers. The man ate the Dice Dice fruit.

 

That, and his partner was after Nami!

 

I gasped and shouted, "Nami, be caref--okay, she's gone."

 

Damn scaredy-cat girl. Honestly, what does Luffy see in her?!

 

  Whatever, back to my fight with Mr. 1. I tried all my attacks on this guy, but I could barely touch him! His body was literally made of steel blades! He's like a living sword!

 

Even sliced me up to the point where I almost died!

 

   Still...I had to find some way to get passed this guy! So, I sheathed my swords, and then...I only drew one. As Mr. 1 was going to strike, I used my one attack.

 

"One Sword Style...One Strike... **SHISHI SONSON!!"**

 

   Then...just by quickly drawing and re-sheathing my sword...I cut him down. Right before he collapsed, he congratulated me on succeeding at cutting through steel.

 

"What's next?" he asked. "Diamonds?"

 

I tell him, "That's just a waste of time."

 

He laughed and said, "Good luck."

 

After that, I started to collapse from blood loss. I'm wondering if Nami's okay and where the hell everyone else is.

 

Also, LUFFY, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, ALREADY?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.


	4. Part IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Part IV of The Demon and the Flower._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part IV**

 

(I do not own One Piece, this wonderful series belongs to Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

_'Finally...I have found it.'_ I thought as I gazed upon the Poneglyph.

 

   It was...breathtaking. As I walked up to it, and read the writing, I realized that this wasn't the Poneglyph that I had been searching for. It really did have the instructions on how to build Pluton. Though, I remained calm and asked King Cobra,

 

"Aren't there any others around? Is this all that your country is hiding?"

 

"You aren't satisfied? I have kept every word of the promise I made to you." he answered.

 

"...you did." I said.

 

That was when I heard footsteps. It was Crocodile. I guess Straw Hat couldn't defeat him, after all.

 

"Just like any other national secret," he said. "no matter how hard you look, you can't find it, unless you already know where it is."

 

He walked up to me, asking, "So, this is the poneglyph we were looking for?"

 

I turned around, saying, "That didn't take much time."

 

"Now that you have this odd thing in front of you, were you able to decipher it?" Crocodile asked.

 

"Yes."

 

"Very good." he told me. "Now, read it aloud. What does this thing say?"

 

I had no intention of telling him what was really written on the Poneglyph. Because, for one thing, the guy's a freakin' nutjob!

 

I turned to the Poneglyph...and said...

 

"Kahira was conquered by Alabasta in the year of Heaven 239. In the year 260, Tymar of the Bitein Dynasty took the throne. The great Taph Temple in Erumalu was completed in the year 306. In the year 325, the Great Hero of Oltea, Mamudin--"

 

"Wait a minute! Stop right there!!"

 

I turned to Crocodile, irritably...and I could see that he was more irritable than I was, at that moment.

 

"What's this?! Is this really all the information here?!" he questioned. "I don't give a damn about this desert's history! I want to know about the world's most dangerous military power that's hiding in this country!"

 

_'Hmph! What an ass.'_

 

"Where is the Pluton hidden?!"

 

"...It's not recorded here," I told him. "All that's written here is history. Nothing more."

 

"That's all?!" he asked.

 

"Pluton." I said. "I didn't see it anywhere. It isn't mentioned on this Poneglyph, at all."

 

He growled at me...but then he seemed to relax...which made me uneasy.

 

"...I see," he said. "That's too bad. You were...an excellent partner...but I'm afraid I'll have to kill you now."

 

I gasped in shock.

 

"What?!"

 

"The agreement we made four years ago has dissolved," Crocodile said. "You were the one who came to me and said that if I brought you to the Poneglyph, you in turn would give me information about the Pluton. During the four years you worked for Baroque Works, you had shown remarkable intelligence and leadership. That was good enough for me. I'll give you this much: you were an extremely valuable woman...however..."

 

He tried to hit me in the head with his hook, but luckily, he only got my hat.

 

"You have failed to fulfill your end of the bargain!!" he shouts. "The Alabastan Poneglyph reveals nothing about the Pluton!"

 

_'That's not completely true.'_ I thought.

 

"You say the Poneglyph in this country doesn't say anything at all about Pluton." he spoke. "Is that true? Was this the plan along? To hide the information from me, even if you were able to find something useful?"

 

My eyes went wide, a bit.

 

"...But even so...I don't feel any anger toward you, and do you know why that is, Nico Robin?"

 

I laugh, "All right. I've worked with you for four years. I knew you'd try something like this, someday, so I'm more than ready."

 

I then tossed a small vial of water at Crocodile, and then I grew a hand out of his shoulder and caught it.

 

"When you're splashed with water," I said as I held up a knife, "then even a knife can hurt you, can't it?!"

 

   The hand threw the vial, and I ran towards Crocodile, ready to stab him. Before I could do so, he dissolved into sand and disappeared.

 

"Dammit, where did he go?"

 

   As I turned around...I felt something go through my back and out my shoulder. I look...and I see a golden hook...coated in my blood.

 

"Now, all is forgiven..." said Crocodile. "...Nico Robin."

 

He then removed his hook from my shoulder.

 

"Because I never trusted you from the very beginning of our partnership! I know better than to do something as foolish as that!"

 

_'Bastard.'_

 

I fell to the cold floor...which shook violently.

 

The king...he planned to trap me, Crocodile, and himself in this tomb by making it collapse.

 

I don't really blame him. All he was doing...was protecting his kingdom.

 

Just as I had begun to lose consciousness...I heard a familiar voice.

 

"Found you...Croc!"

 

It was Straw Hat Luffy.

 

"You!!" Crocodile shouts. "Why won't you die?! I've already killed you twice, and yet here you are, standing right in front of me! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO KILL YOU?!?"

  


  


(A/N: He's starting to sound like Jafar from _Aladdin_.)

 

For some reason, the Monkey Boy looked all bloody. I had assumed it was because of his recent fight with Crocodile.

 

"...You still haven't given back the thing you stole," he said to Crocodile.

 

"And what would that be?" Crocodile asked. "Money? Honor? Trust? Life? Or is it...the rain? KUAHAHAHAHA!! Which one of them do you want me to return? I've stolen so many things."

 

_'You really are an ass, Crocodile.'_ I thought.

 

"...The kingdom!" Straw Hat says. "Give it back to Vivi!"

 

"Sorry, boy, but I have no intention of giving it back, now," said Crocodile. "I'm about to take it over in just three minutes. The very moment Baroque Works set foot on this kingdom of hers...it was doomed from the start! KUAHAHAHAHAHA~!!!"

 

"...If this was her kingdom," Luffy said...before he ran at Crocodile, "THEN SHE'D BE SMILING A LOT MORE!!!"

 

"Idiot," Crocodile said. "Have you forgotten that you don't even have any water? How do you expect to--OOGH!!"

 

   He kicked Crocodile in the face...and he actually managed to hit him. Turns out that he used his own blood, this time, instead of water. I must admit, that was very clever of him.

 

When I first saw him, I somewhat mistook him for an idiot, but when it comes to fighting, he's like a strategical genius.

 

Who would've thought, right?

 

Anyway, Straw Hat Luffy and Crocodile started going at it, once again, but this time...it was a fight to the finish.

 

   Crocodile intended to kill him then and there, and this time, he was even going to result to dirty tricks: a poisonous scorpion stinger hidden inside his hook.

 

Straw Hat was hit by it.

 

   Surprisingly...he still managed to survive, in spite of it. That boy never ceases to amaze me. The fight went on for quite a while, and it almost looked like Straw Hat was dead on his feet. I really thought that he would lose, again.

 

   However, this time, luck seemed to be on his side. As Crocodile unleashed his Sables attack, Straw Hat Luffy unleashed a far greater one.

 

"GUM GUM~...STORM~!!!"

 

   He was beating Crocodile with a flurry of punches. He sent him flying through the bedrock beneath the city. Once he did that, little droplets of rain fell from the sky. Soon, it began to rain heavily.

 

At last...the drought had ended.

 

I could see the grin on Straw Hat Luffy's face. However...there was still the matter of the poison inside him.

 

I tossed King Cobra a vial of the antidote for Crocodile's poison.

 

"Give this to him," I told him. "Hurry. If you give the antidote to him now, he could still have a chance."

 

   As he gave Straw Hat Luffy the antidote, he asked me, "You looked at me and told me that the only thing written on here was history...so why did you lie?"

 

_'Damn...can't fool anyone, can I?'_ I thought.

 

"You knew?" I asked. "How cruel."

 

_'Guess I sort of had that one coming to me, huh?'_

 

"...I don't really care about kingdoms or people," I said. "None of that really matters to me."

 

I still can't believe I used to sound so...selfish.

 

"Still...I had no intention of revealing the location of Pluton to Crocodile."

 

Because, again, that man was a freakin' nutjob!

 

"I don't understand," said Cobra. "If that's true, then why did you come here?"

 

"Things like these don't always live up to our expectations," I told him. "I came here...in search of the Rio Poneglyph."

 

"The...what?" Cobra repeated.

 

"Among the many Poneglyphs that in exist in the world, it's the only one that tells of the True History," I explained.

 

"The...True History? What is that?"

 

"...It doesn't matter now. For 20 years, I've been searching for it...and now...I have no more leads to go on. This Poneglyph...was my last hope...but I'm afraid it wasn't the one I was looking for. I'm sick and tired of this rotten life of mine. All I ever wanted...was to know the True History."

 

As I said this...my eyes began to well up with tears.

 

"...I'm afraid...that too many obstacles have gotten in between me and my dream."

 

"I see," said Cobra. "You're saying that these Poneglyphs can actually tell of untold history?"

 

"Yes," I answered. "But...that can't be possible!"

 

I closed my eyes, awaiting my imminent death.

 

_'I would have also liked to see that Tiger Man one last time...'_

 

Then...I feel someone picking me up. I open my eyes...

 

...and I see Straw Hat Luffy carrying both King Cobra and myself.

 

"Okay," he said. "Let's get outta here, already."

 

"Hold on!" I shout.

 

Straw Hat looked at me, silently.

 

I tell him, "I no longer have a reason to live! Just leave me here!!"

 

"Know what?" he tells me. "Why should I listen to you? You can do whatever you want once we're outta here."

 

I couldn't believe this boy.

 

So...we made it out of the tomb, just as it began to collapse. Straw Hat let me go, and I headed for the cape.

 

...I didn't know what I was going to do. I could have just kill myself...but I didn't. I had to make Straw Hat pay for his crime...somehow.

 

   That's when I saw something, moored to the shore of the island: the Going Merry...Straw Hat Luffy's ship. I decided to stowaway there. I also decided that I would need some new clothes. I was sure the navigator wouldn't mind if I borrowed hers.

 

   Anyway, I stayed there, waiting for them to come back. I was so tired...I fell asleep. I dreamed of a lot of things...Ohara, Professor Clover, my mother, Saul, and of course, that Tiger Man.

 

I had no idea why, though.

 

Eventually, I woke up to hear things like cannon blasts and lots of yelling. Also, the ship seemed to be moving.

 

   That's when I realized that the Straw Hats came back to their ship and were now escaping Alabasta. The Marines must've come after them.

 

I could also hear Princess Vivi.

 

I couldn't really hear what they were saying, so I used my Oreja Fleur technique so that I could hear better.

 

First, I hear Straw Hat's voice.

 

"Look! Vivi's here!!" he says.

 

They were all watching Princess Vivi.

 

"I only came...to say goodbye," she said. "there's nothing more I'd like than to go out on more adventures with you, but...I love this country too much!"

 

Straw Hat Luffy and his crew seemed a bit saddened...but then, the Monkey Man smiled.

 

"I get it," he said.

 

"I'm going to stay here, for now," said Princess Vivi, "but...if we ever meet again...will you still call me friend?"

 

...I actually felt like crying when she said that. She really is such a sweet girl.

 

I really do feel guilty for what I did to her.

 

Wouldn't blame her if she and her father held a grudge against me.

 

Anyway...

 

"Of course we'll al--MMPHH!!" Straw Hat Luffy began, but then the navigator, his girlfriend, covered his mouth.

 

"You dumbass!!" she whispered. "Don't answer her! The Marines can hear you! If they get evidence that Vivi is friends with us, they'll call her a criminal, too! We can't let her live like that!"

 

_'...That Cat Girl talks a lot of sense.'_

 

(A/N: Yes, sir. Yes, she does.)

 

"...Just turn away and don't say a word," she said. "I know it's hard, but we don't have a choice."

 

   They all turned their backs to the Princess and raised their right fists in the air. It was their way of saying that they'll always be friends. Princess Vivi and her pet duck did the same. It was very sweet.

 

Eventually, they left...but the poor things sounded so sad when they left...except for the Tiger Man.

 

"If you wanted her to come with us that badly, then you should have forced her to come with us!" he says.

 

"AH! YOU SAVAGE!" screamed the little reindeer.

 

"Blockhead!" the navigator shouted.

 

"Idiot." said the cook.

 

"Three Sword Style." says Straw Hat Luffy.

 

"Saying Three Sword Style isn't an insult, Luffy!" the sniper said.

 

"...Four Sword Style."

 

"It's not the number that's the problem! Look, you know fermented soy beans, right? Try saying that he stinks!"

 

   Since they managed to escape and they seemed rather upset, I decided that now was a good chance to show myself when I saw the Tiger Man starting to walk away, rubbing his head.

 

"Looks like we finally escaped the firing squad," I said.

 

"Yeah," he replied.

 

I show myself to them, saying, "Excellent work."

 

Needless to say, I gave them quite a shock. Didn't blame them.

 

"Here to avenge your friends?!" the Tiger Man questioned as he unsheathed his sword.

 

"What the hell are you doing here?!" the navigator freaked out, holding the lump on her head from bumping it.

 

"Warning! Warning!!" the sniper shouts into a bullhorn.

 

The little reindeer was screaming his head off.

 

Soon, the navigator and the Tiger Man were holding their weapons at me while the others stood away.

 

"Who is she?" asked the little reindeer.

 

"I dunno," the cook said with hearts in his eyes, "but she's so damn beautiful."

 

Apparently, he didn't recognize me without my old Baroque Works outfit.

 

Anyway, I used my Devil Fruit powers to knock their weapons out of their hands.

 

"Didn't I tell you before?" I asked. "Don't point such dangerous things at me. Are you always so slow?"

 

I probably shouldn't have called them slow...

 

(A/N: Ya think?!)

 

"What do you think you're doing on our ship?!" the navigator questions.

 

"I was hiding out," I answered. "these are your clothes? I'm borrowing them."

 

"WAIT JUST A DAMN MINUTE, LADY!!" she shouts at me. "AND WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

 

I ignore her, of course, and then turned to the captain as I pulled out a chair.

 

"Monkey D. Luffy," I said. "You haven't forgotten what you've done to me, have you?"

 

The cook wasn't too happy about this...and neither was the navigator.

 

Straw Hat on the other hand looked rather confused.

 

"What the hell are you talking about?!" he asked. "You know I didn't do anything to you!"

 

"Wrong," I said. "What you did was unbearable, and I think it's time you paid the price."

 

The whole time, he was being shook by the Fox Man...

 

"Luffy! What the hell did you to that beautiful woman, you lousy monkey bastard?!" he questioned.

 

"Luffy, what did you two do?!" his navigator asked, fuming.

 

"Nothing!" he said. "I swear!"

 

"Please leave, or I'll be forced to call the Marines," said the sniper. "Thank you for voyaging on the Going Merry."

 

"You're not making any sense!" he said. "What do you want me to do?"

 

"I want to join you."

 

_'3...2...1...'_

 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" they all questioned, although the cook seemed to be a bit more happy about it than the others.

 

I then explained what I meant to Straw Hat Luffy.

 

"I wanted nothing more than to die at that very moment," I told him, "but you forced me to live. That's your crime. I have nowhere to go or return to. So I decided...that I'll join you."

 

"I see," he said. "I guess there's no other choice. Welcome."

 

"LUFFY!!!" the others shout.

 

"Guys, don't worry!" he said. "She doesn't look like a bad person!"

 

   They weren't convinced, well, most of them weren't convinced. The cook was swooning. Later, the sniper of their crew interviewed me about what I can do, etc.

 

   While he was doing that, I was using my Devil Fruit powers to entertain the captain and the ship's doctor...who was the reindeer, of course. They seemed to really enjoy it. Although, the doctor freaked out when he saw me, and hid behind Straw Hat, poor dear.

 

"Pay attention!!" the sniper shouts. "I want some straight up and honest answers, Crane Woman! I'll ask you one more time! What's your name?! ...Err...oh! My name's Usopp!" He bows. "Hello."

 

"Nico Robin." I tell him.

 

"Okay, Nico Robin," the sniper said. "So, what's your occupation?"

 

"Archaeologist."

 

"Are you serious?!" he questioned.

 

"Archaeology runs in my blood." I answered him. "I come from a long line of them."

 

"I see," he said. "So you have a scientific background. Go on."

 

I could practically heard that Tiger Man saying "What in the hell?" in the background.

 

   Anyway, I explained to the Ferret Man, "It was when I was eight years old that I decided to pursue archaeology as my career. Shortly thereafter, I found myself wanted by the World Government. Since then, I've spent the past 20 years hiding from the world."

 

"You've been alone...ever since you were eight?" asked the Ferret Man.

 

Sad, isn't it?

 

   I continued on, "Then, one day I heard the calling of the sea, but there's no way for a child to survive alone on the water. The only option I found that ensured my protection and the ability to achieve my goal was..."

 

I trailed off for a bit, then started, "I chose to work for various rogues, not an ideal solution, but it brought me this far."

 

"And I suppose you incorporated Crocodile into your various gallery of rogues," the sniper said.

 

"Of course," I tell him. "I used him to get to the Rio Poneglyph."

 

"Mm-hmm." he said, as if he were saying "Go on."

 

"I'm good at maneuvering through obstacles to achieve a goal. I'd be a great asset to you, and your friends."

 

"Huh. You're full of confidence." said the sniper. "What's your specialty?"

 

"...Killing," I answered.

 

"LUFFY~!!!" he screamed. "MY INVESTIGATION HAS CONCLUDED THAT SHE IS FAR TOO DANGEROUS!!!"

 

It appeared that he and the reindeer weren't listening. They were having too much fun with my powers, it seemed.

 

They did look rather cute.

 

The sniper wasn't too pleased...and neither was the navigator.

 

"Seriously!" she said. "I'm disappointed. You two are pathetic! Until recently, she was the vice president of a crime syndicate. And do you really think such a woman should join us?"

 

The sniper seemed pleased by her words, indicated by the fact that he was clapping his hands.

 

"You may have fooled these idiots, but I'm not convinced. You pull anything and I'll personally kick you out!"

 

Translation: "Stay away from my man, or your ass is toast."

 

That's when I pulled up a small bag and put it on the table.

 

"Oh, I just remembered, I brought along some of Crocodile's jewelry with me."

 

That seemed to change her tune rather quickly, because she came running to my side in an instant.

 

"Wow! I love ya, sister! You're the best!"

 

"Oh, boy, here we go," the Tiger Man and the sniper mumble in unison.

 

Evidently, they didn't trust me, and well, can you honestly blame them?

 

Moving on, the cook appeared, offering me a little cake.

 

"Ah, love," he says as he moves around in some sort of dance. "Bold. The likes of which I've never seen, I'm captured by your spell! Held prisoner in your eyes!"

 

I could hear the Booted Puss Woman saying "Treasure~!" as she was oogling the jewelry I gave her.

 

"I was driftwood, floating at sea until you struck me like a thunderbolt, igniting my soul!" the cook said before he placed down a piece of cake in front of me. "A snack."

 

   I thanked him. I could also hear the swordsman and the sniper talking among themselves. Unsurprisingly, they still didn't trust me. Then, Straw Hat Luffy made a really funny impression of the little reindeer.

 

Eventually, the sniper couldn't help but laugh.

 

Now there was only the swordsman. It appears he's going to be a bit of a challenge.

 

Not that I mind.

 

"So, what should I call you?" asked the cook. "Maybe Miss Robin? Or something more daring that defines my love??"

 

   I stood up and walked over to the Tiger Man. He looked at me with a fierce glare in his eyes. For some reason, it didn't seem to bother me.

 

Possibly because I was used to such looks in the past. That, and I found it fascinating.

 

"Well?" he asks. "What do you want?"

 

I simply asked him, "Is it always this lively on this ship?"

 

"Pretty much." he answered. "What of it?"

 

"...Just asking," I replied. "No reason."

 

I turned to walk away.

 

"What's our heading, Miss Navigator?" I ask.

 

"The wind is calm, and the weather's beautiful!" she answers. "There's no problems on my end, Sis!"

 

"How would you know?" asked the Tiger Man. "You haven't stopped gawking at that jewelry!"

 

She didn't pay him any mind, for she was still looking at the jewelry I gave her.

 

"Treasure~." I heard her say.

 

"Sanji~! Is my snack ready?" asked Straw Hat Luffy.

 

"Be patient!" the cook snaps.

 

"But I'm HUNGRY!!" the captain complained.

 

Then I heard the sniper and the doctor say, "Hurry up! Me too, me too, me too, I WANT FOOD~!!"

 

"I don't care! I'm just gonna open my mouth and put food in there!!"

 

_'I think I'm gonna like this crew.'_ I thought.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

Well...we did it. We defeated Crocodile and his organization. We saved Alabasta, and Vivi stopped the Civil War.

 

Also...it finally started to rain, again.

 

   We met up with Luffy and this old guy, who, as it turns out, was Vivi's dad. Also, you know that cross-dresser guy? Yeah, it turns out he's alive.

 

Everyone else learned the truth about Crocodile, and they weren't happy about it...but they were glad that Vivi was back.

 

   Afterwards, we all slept. Luffy had a bad fever and was asleep for at least three days. Nami, Vivi, and Chopper never left his side. As soon as the three days had passed, he woke up.

 

"Ah, man!" he shouts. "I slept good!"

 

Of course, he's already making a racket when he wakes up. Nonetheless, we were all glad that he was all right.

 

   Then he starts panicking about where his hat was and started complaining about where his breakfast was, as well, and then he finds out he's been asleep for three days.

 

"I missed 15 meals...!" he whimpered.

 

   I can't believe that when it comes to food, he can actually count. Also...isn't it three meals a day, not five? I guess he counts snack and dessert as meals, too.

 

Glutton...

 

Then, that cross-dresser guy comes in.

 

   O-okay, not really! It turns out it's his wife, Terracotta, the royal chef. She came in with a big cart of fruit for us to munch in until dinner was ready, but then Luffy practically inhaled all of it! For a monkey, he sure eats like a pig!

 

Anyhoo, dinner came, and we headed to the dining hall, and--

 

"LUFFY!!! YOU JUST SNATCHED MY FOOD, DIDN'T YA?!"

 

"No."

 

**BAP!!**

 

"YOU BIG LIAR!!!"

 

   Yeah...as you can pretty much tell from Usopp shouting and Nami punching him in the face, Luffy's stealing food, mainly Usopp and--

 

"DAMMIT LUFFY!! THAT WAS MY ROAST BEEF!!! GIVE IT BACK BEFORE I SKIN YOU ALIVE, YOU GRUBBY MONKEY!!!" I shouted.

 

   Thankfully, Usopp decided to teach that greedy little glutton a lesson. He put some hot sauce on a rice ball, which Luffy ended up eating! You should've seen him! His mouth was on fire!

 

"HAHAHA! Serves you right, Luffy!" I shout.

 

Ah, but really, we all had a great time at that banquet. Luffy got as fat as a beach ball the size of a cow.

 

...glutton.

 

   Usopp got on the table and started balancing cups on his nose and Chopper was dancing with chopsticks in his nose and mouth.

 

I don't know what Luffy was thinking, teaching Chopper that.

 

Other than that, we were all having a blast.

 

   Later, we all went to the royal bathhouse. Luffy and Usopp were acting like a couple of kids, as usual. That damn ero cook wanted to know where the Women's bathhouse was.

 

   And of all people, the King just goes and tells the perverted idiot that it's right behind the wall that separates the guys from the girls!

 

It didn't really surprise me that Luffy was going over there, since Nami was on the other side.

 

   I didn't peek, mainly because I had no interest in doing so. I could hear what Nami and Vivi were saying when the other guys were peeking at them, though.

 

"What are you all doing over there?!"

 

"Peeping...all right! But it'll cost one hundred-thousand Berries, each!"

 

Oh, boy, there she goes.

 

"Happiness...Punch!"

 

The next thing I know, I see those idiots falling from the wall with blood gushing outta their noses.

  


  


(A/N: Go Nami! XD Ye-ah~! XD)

 

"Nami!" I hear Vivi cry.

 

The guys were on the floor, still bleeding through their noses.

 

"Nami-swan...!" the perverted cook swooned.

 

Then, surprisingly...the King thanks us.

 

   Although, he was still bleeding through his nose when he did this, and we thought he was just being a pervert...this turned out not to be the case.

 

He was only thanking us for saving the kingdom...and he ends up bowing to us.

 

"Uh...hey...is a king really supposed to act like that?" I ask.

 

Luffy just grinned.

 

Later, after we finish our little bath...we had a bit of a problem. The marines were after us, also, some weirdo took our ship.

 

_'Why does this crap always happen to us?'_ I'm thinking.

 

There's more...

 

Vivi didn't know if she wanted to stay in Alabasta or go with us.

 

   Since we had to leave in a hurry, we told her to give us an answer in the morning. So, we took the Super Sonic Duck Squad and high-tailed it outta there.

 

   In the morning, we managed to get on our ship and escape the Marines, thanks to that Bon Clay guy. Luffy didn't want to set sail, yet. At least, not until Vivi gave us her answer.

 

   So, we went to the shore where we told her to meet us, and wouldn't you know it, there she was. We were all happy to see her, but...

 

...it turns out that she wasn't gonna come after all.

 

I didn't really show it, but...I was a little sad. She was pretty tough...for a princess.

 

"Of course we'll al--MMPHH!!" Luffy was about to say until Nami covered his mouth.

 

"You dumbass!!" she whispered. "Don't answer her! The Marines can hear you! If they get evidence that Vivi is friends with us, they'll call her a criminal, too! We can't let her live like that!"

 

Nami had a point. The life of a pirate is no life for a princess.

 

"...Just turn away and don't say a word," she said. "I know it's hard, but we don't have a choice."

 

   And that's what we did...but then...we raised our right fists into the air, revealing the X mark we drew on them. Vivi and Carue did the same, too. I smiled a little.

 

   Unfortunately, the marines started firing at us, and we had to leave. Luffy, the cook, and I were about to fight until we tripped on some giant harpoons that Usopp had lying around.

 

"WHAT THE HELL?!!!?" we shouted.

 

"Oh, Usopp brought those with us in case we needed them," said Nami.

 

I get that, but did he have to leave them lying around?!

 

"I'll get rid of 'em," Luffy said suddenly.

 

He took all of the harpoons, and threw them at the Marine ships! We were all shocked by this!

 

Despite that, we managed to escape. Then, everybody started moping.

 

"We escaped the marines..." I said. "That's good news!"

 

All I get are these moans.

 

"Come on, what's with all the sad faces?"

 

That's when they all said, "WE MISS VIVI~!!"

 

"You big babies!" I yelled. "If you wanted her to come with us that badly, then you should have forced her to come with us!"

 

"AH! YOU SAVAGE!" screamed Chopper.

 

"Blockhead!" Nami shouted.

 

"Idiot." said the cook.

 

"Three Sword Style." said Luffy.

 

"Saying Three Sword Style isn't an insult, Luffy!" Usopp told him.

 

"...Four Sword Style."

 

"It's not the number that's the problem! Look, you know fermented soy beans, right? Try saying that he stinks!"

 

I simply walked away, rubbing my head.

 

"Looks like we finally escaped the firing squad," said a familiar voice.

 

"Yeah," I replied.

 

"Excellent work."

 

I turned...and I see...that Crane Woman!

 

_'You've gotta me kidding me!'_

 

Boy, did we ever get the shock of our lives!

 

"Here to avenge your friends?!" I asked as I unsheathed my swords.

 

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Nami asks.

 

"Warning! Warning!" Usopp shouted through a microphone, while Chopper was freaking out.

 

We had her surrounded...but she just stood there, calmly.

 

"Who is she?" asked Chopper.

 

"I dunno," the cook said with hearts in his eyes, "but she's so damn beautiful."

 

Idiot.

 

She then used her Devil Fruit powers to knock our weapons out of our hands.

 

"Didn't I tell you before?" she asked. "Don't point such dangerous things at me. Are you always so slow?"

 

_'Who the hell does this bitch think she is?!'_ I'm thinking.

 

"What do you think you're doing on our ship?!" Nami asked her.

 

"I was hiding out," the Crane Woman answered. "these are your clothes? I'm borrowing them."

 

"WAIT JUST A DAMN MINUTE, LADY!!" Nami shouted. "AND WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

 

Man, Nami, chill out. It's just clothes. You have plenty more.

 

In fact...you've got more than you need.

 

(A/N: I know, right?!)

 

Anyway, that Crane Woman pulled a chair, ignoring Nami, and turned to Luffy.

 

"Monkey D. Luffy," she said. "You haven't forgotten what you've done to me, have you?"

 

_'What? What Luffy ever do to her?'_

 

Well, whatever it was, it sure got Nami and the cook mad.

 

"What the hell are you talking about?!" he asked. "You know I didn't do anything to you!"

 

"Wrong," she said. "What you did was unbearable, and I think it's time you paid the price."

 

"Luffy! What the hell did you to that beautiful woman, you lousy monkey bastard?!" Sanji questioned as he shook him.

 

"Luffy, what did you two do?!" Nami asked, fuming.

 

"Nothing!" he said. "I swear!"

 

"Please leave, or I'll be forced to call the Marines," said Usopp. "Thank you for voyaging on the Going Merry."

 

"You're not making any sense!" Luffy said. "What do you want me to do?"

 

"I want to join you." she answered.

 

_'...Uh...what did she say?!'_

 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

 

   Next, The Crane Woman explained what she was talking about earlier. Apparently, she wanted to die in some tomb, but Luffy saved her and Vivi's old man anyway.

 

"I see," Luffy said. "I guess there's no other choice. Welcome."

 

"LUFFY!!!" we shout.

 

"Guys, don't worry!" he said. "She doesn't look like a bad person!"

 

_'You have GOT to be kidding me. Un-FREAKING-believable!'_

 

My captain's stupidity knows no bounds! The same can be said about his appetite!

 

   So, Usopp was in the middle of interviewing that conniving bitch! That, and she was using her powers to entertain Luffy and Chopper! Oh, boy...what kinda world is this?

 

(A/N: I'll tell you what kinda world this is! It's a MAD world, is what it is!)

 

Anyway, as the interview goes on, we learn that her name's Nico Robin.

 

_'Robin, eh?'_

 

Gotta say, not a bad name. Still, that didn't change the fact that she was an enemy, so don't go getting any ideas!

 

(A/N: Uh-huh, whatever you say, Zoro. Whatever you say, honey.)

 

Anyhoo, she told Usopp that she's an Archaeologist.

 

"Are you serious?!"

 

"Archaeology runs in my blood." she answered him. "I come from a long line of them."

 

"I see," he said. "So you have a scientific background. Go on."

 

"What in the hell?" I muttered.

 

_'I can't believe this s***.'_

 

"It was when I was eight years old that I decided to pursue archaeology as my career. Shortly thereafter, I found myself wanted by the World Government. Since then, I've spent the past 20 years hiding from the world." she went on.

 

"You've been alone...ever since you were eight?" Usopp asked.

 

   That Crane Woman answered, "Then, one day I heard the calling of the sea, but there's no way for a child to survive alone on the water. The only option I found that ensured my protection and the ability to achieve my goal was..."

 

_'That's weird. Why'd she just trail off like that?'_ I thought.

 

"I chose to work for various rogues, not an ideal solution, but it brought me this far." she said.

 

"And I suppose you incorporated Crocodile into your various gallery of rogues," asked Usopp.

 

"Of course," she answered him. "I used him to get to the Rio Poneglyph."

 

"Mm-hmm."

 

"I'm good at maneuvering through obstacles to achieve a goal. I'd be a great asset to you, and your friends."

 

"Huh. You're full of confidence." said the Ferret Man. "What's your specialty?"

 

"...Killing,"

 

_'Seriously?!'_

 

"LUFFY~!!!" he screamed. "MY INVESTIGATION HAS CONCLUDED THAT SHE IS FAR TOO DANGEROUS!!!"

 

_'I couldn't agree more, Usopp.'_

 

However, Luffy and Chopper are too busy getting tickled to even listen!

 

"YOU GUYS LISTENING TO ME?!" Usopp shouted.

 

That's when Nami decided to speak up.

 

"Seriously!" she says. "I'm disappointed. You two are pathetic! Until recently, she was the vice president of a crime syndicate. And do you really think such a woman should join us?"

 

_'Thank you, Nami.'_

 

Usopp agreed with me, too.

 

"You may have fooled these idiots, but I'm not convinced. You pull anything and I'll personally kick you out!"

 

Oh, and Translation for those of you who don't understand what she means: "Stay away from my man, or your ass is toast."

 

Just when I think she was gonna get thrown overboard, Robin pulls up this little bag and puts it on the table.

 

"Oh, I just remembered, I brought along some of Crocodile's jewelry with me."

 

_'...dammit.'_ I cursed in my head.

 

Nami came running down the stairs, stars in her eyes, and said, "Wow! I love ya, sister! You're the best!"

 

"Oh, boy, here we go," Usopp and I mumble in unison.

 

"Nami's been had." whispered Usopp.

 

"This chick's bad news." I said.

 

"She's following her lead like some kind of pet. Huh?"

 

   And enter the idiot cook, falling over himself. You should've seen it. Absolutely pitiful. That, and Nami was still oogling that bag of jewelry the Crane Woman gave her.

 

"Treasure~!" she said, with stars in her eyes.

 

I don't wanna really tell you about all that mushy stuff the cook was saying, either, so don't bother asking me.

 

"Look at him, falling all over himself." I said.

 

"Yeah," Usopp agreed. "well, he was a lost cause from the start."

I sighed, "Looks like you and I are the only holdouts on this ship of insanity."

 

"We shouldn't blame the others, their simple minds can't resist her charms." he explained.

 

"Hey, Usopp~!" Luffy calls.

 

_'Oh, great. Now what's he up to?'_

 

   We turn...and we see that Luffy is doing an impression of Chopper, using Robin's Devil Fruit powers. She had her arms growing out his head like a pair of antlers!

 

"...Chopper!"

 

And...I lost Usopp.

 

_'I cannot believe this. Am I the only sane one on this ship?!'_

 

(A/N: Apparently, honey.)

 

I walk away, needing to clear my head, but of all things, that damn Bird Woman follows me!

 

_'What the hell does she want with me?!'_ I'm thinking.

 

"Well?" I ask. "What do you want?"

 

"Is it always so lively on this ship?" she asks me.

 

"Pretty much." I answered. "What of it?"

 

"...Just asking,"

 

She turned and walked away.

 

"No reason," she said.

 

_'This chick's up to something,'_ I thought to myself, _'but what?'_

 

(A/N: Translation: "Miss Robin, you are trying to seduce me, aren't you?")

 

"What's our heading, Miss Navigator?" the Crane Woman asks.

 

"The wind is calm, and the weather's beautiful!" Nami answered. "There's no problems on my end, Sis!"

 

"How would you know?" I asked. "You haven't stopped gawking at that jewelry!"

 

"Treasure~." was all she said.

 

_'You and your damn money fetish.'_

 

And then Luffy starts whining about his snack.

 

"Sanji, is my snack ready~?"

 

"Be patient!"

 

"But I'm HUNGRY~!!"

 

Next, Chopper and Usopp start whining about their snacks, too!

 

"Hurry up! Me too, me too, me too, I WANT FOOD~!!"

 

"I don't care! I'm just gonna open my mouth and put food in there!!"

 

Well, I know this much...the crew will never be the same again.

(A/N: Baby, you ain't kidding.) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like.


	5. Part V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Zoro and Robin's relationship takes a step further, in a way._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part V**

 

(I do not own One Piece, Eiichiro Oda owns this amazing series.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Well, hear I am, on the Going Merry. Quite a nice ship, I must say.

 

   It's been about three days since I joined the Straw Hats. So far, everything's been going fine...I wish everything was fine with the Tiger Man and myself. All he's ever done since I got here was try and avoid me. We got off on the wrong foot, and I wanted to start things fresh with him.

 

Two weeks pass, and he's continued to successfully avoid me.

 

*sigh*

 

_'Good grief.'_

 

   On deck, I find him exercising with a pair of one ton weights. Quite a feat, I must say. I'd expect no less from the man who defeated Mr. 1.

 

Anyway, as he stopped to take a break, I walked up to him. He glared at me and asked, "What do you want, Crane Woman?"

 

"I just thought I'd keep you company," I said. "We got off on the wrong foot, before."

 

He snorted, "That's an understatement."

 

This one's gonna be one tough nut to crack.

 

"I wanted to apologize for calling you slow." I told him.

 

He looked at me and growled a little. There was silence for about ten seconds.

 

"...Apology accepted," he said. "Now...why don't you go read or something? I've got training to do."

 

Well, he accepted my apology. That's a start.

 

Five days after that, things seemed to go pretty smoothly...at least, I thought it did.

 

"Hi, Robin!" Straw Hat says as he walks up to me. "What's up?"

 

"Oh, nothing much." I tell him.

 

"You sure?" Luffy asked.

 

"Yes." I nodded.

 

"Well, if you say so," Straw Hat said.

 

Following that, I was in the kitchen, reading a book when the swordsman had appeared.

 

"Oh, hey," he said.

 

"Hey.".

 

"I'm, uh...I'm just getting a drink," he says before he goes to the cabinet and gets a bottle of sake.

 

"All right." I went back to reading my book.

 

"Hello, beautiful," he said before he opened the bottle.

  


  


(A/N: That one was Fang's idea. XD)

 

_'Cute.'_ I thought.

 

   I did glance at him occasionally, and I see him guzzling down the sake from the bottle. It amazed me how the man could drink so much and not become intoxicated.

 

"Aahh!" he sighed. "Good booze."

 

I couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

 

"What's so funny, onna?" he asked, glaring at me.

 

"Oh, nothing," I said.

 

"Right..." he said, obviously not believing me.

 

A pause.

 

"I'm gonna go." said the Tiger Man as he put the bottle of sake back in the cabinet, and left.

 

I sighed. Then, I went back to my reading.

 

Two days after that, we meet on deck, again. Although, this meeting it's a little less than friendly.

 

Then...the Tiger Man walked up to me.

 

"Can I help you?" I asked.

 

   He didn't answer me. The Tiger Man had a very serious look on his face. This had me worried, despite how calm I looked. As he was walking up to me, I was backing away, until I ended up against the wall.

 

This probably wouldn't turn out good.

 

"Is...there a problem?" I ask.

 

   He slammed his hand on the wall next to my face, leaned in really close to me so that we were face to face, and said, "You're damn right, there is!"

 

_'Eh?'_

 

"You're awfully close, Mr. Swordsman."

 

_'Oh, dear...suddenly, I feel uneasy.'_

 

"Listen here and listen good, Crane Woman," he growled.

 

"Y-yes?" I asked, trying my hardest not to be nervous...and yet...

 

...my heart was beating so fast...though, I didn't understand why.

 

"you may have the others wrapped around your finger, but I'm not fooled. Don't you dare think for a second that we're friends, because we're not! I swear, if you try anything, I will personally cut you down myself."

 

I just stared at him.

 

"I have no intention of deceiving any of you." I told him.

 

"Could've fooled me." he said.

 

"Hey guys."

 

   We turn and we see the doctor. Apparently, judging by the innocent look he had on his face, he had no idea what was happening.

 

"What's going on?" he asks us.

 

"It's nothing," answered the Tiger Man. "don't worry about it."

 

He walked off after that.

 

   I heaved a sigh of relief and slid down to the floor in a sitting position, and almost instantly, the doctor was at my side in concern.

 

"Robin!" he cried. "Are you okay?!"

 

"Yes," I told him. "I'm fine."

 

"You sure?" he asked.

 

I nodded.

 

"Ok." he said.

 

Even after that...my heart was still racing. I place a wing on my chest, thinking, _'Why am I feeling this way?'_

 

Didn't matter...that Tiger Man still didn't fully trust me. I wanted to prove to him that I wasn't going to betray the crew.

 

...But how?

 

   Anyway, as the weeks passed, things between us started to change. Each of us learned about the other's interests. What we liked, what we disliked. For example, he learned about my love for Florence + The Machine. Only my favorite music group.

 

   I also learned a couple of things from him. Apparently, he had a friend from a long time ago named Kuina. Unfortunately, the poor girl had passed on.

 

...How sad.

 

She's his very reason for wanting to become the World's Greatest Swordsman.

 

Such an interesting past. Everyone has their own little piece of history. Even me...

 

   Moving on, as we continued to learn more about each other, something else was growing between us. It was a nice, warm feeling. Something I haven't felt in quite some time.

 

That, and there was another feeling that I never had the luxury of experiencing...

 

Pleasure.

 

I could tell that the swordsman was feeling the same way, too. Maybe this could work out, after all.

 

   One day, we docked at an island. The others went off to go and get more supplies, leaving the Tiger Man and myself behind. He was exercising, and I was sitting by the railings, drinking coffee. Soon, he stopped to take a break.

 

_'Here's my chance. I better not waste it.'_

 

I finished my coffee and walked up to him, saying, "You sure do work out a lot, don't you?"

 

"Yeah," he answered. "what of it?"

 

"No reason," I said.

 

He growled a bit before he looked away.

 

_'Perfect.'_ I thought.

 

I reached over...and I began to rub on his shoulders. That seemed to make him relax a little.

 

"You're so tense." I whispered. "You need to relax a bit more."

 

   Then, I began to scratch behind his ears, and he started purring. It was cute, honestly. Then...I went down inside his shirt. He purred even more.

 

...but then he stopped and growled at me.

 

"Will you stop that?!" he questioned. "What the hell are you doing?!"

 

"What do you mean, Mr. Swordsman?" I asked, feigning innocence.

 

He growled at me again.

 

"Look, I know what you're trying to do, and it's not gonna work on me!" he said. "You conniving little..."

 

He trailed off when I turned around, pulled some of my hair from behind me, revealing my back and shoulders.

 

"...oh, god..." he whispered, but then he cleared his throat. "A-Anyway, I don't trust you! End of story!"

 

"...Well...I'm not asking you to trust me, now am I?" I ask him.

 

He swallowed a bit...but then he reached down and started rubbing my shoulders.

 

"Mm~!" I bit my lip and moaned.

 

"Oh, yeah..." he said.

 

Pretty soon, we were in the kitchen, making out.

 

"Hello?"

 

I gasped.

 

_'Oh, dear. The captain's back!'_

 

"Damn." the Tiger Man cursed. "What's he doing back?"

 

"Hello~?" Straw Hat calls.

 

The Swordsman grumbled and asked, "What?!"

 

"...What are you doing in here with Robin?" Mr. Captain asked. "And why's your shirt off?"

 

"Uhh..."

 

That was when the cook had entered the kitchen, "Luffy, what the heck's going on in he--"

 

He immediately noticed the Tiger Man and myself...

 

...and he didn't look very happy.

 

"DAMN YOU, MOSS HEAD!!!" he roared. "WHAT'D YOU DO TO ROBIN-CHAN?!"

 

"IT'S NOT MY FAULT!!!" the Swordsman barked. "SHE TEMPTED ME!!!"

 

"OH, DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLS***!!!" the Fox Man shouted as he and the Tiger Man broke into a fight.

 

The Navigator entered, and asked, "What in the name of the Great Ceiling Cat is going on?!"

 

"We found Zoro and Robin together in the kitchen, and for some reason, his shirt was off. Then Sanji got mad and started fighting with Zoro!" Straw Hat answered.

 

The Booted Puss Woman seemed to blush very heavily at this information.

 

"Oh, my." she said.

 

"What? What's the big deal?" Straw Hat asked.

 

"Uh, I'll explain later." she answered.

 

_'Well, this is embarrassing.'_

 

I sighed as I stood up, making sure to button up my blouse.

 

"Robin, what happened?" The doctor asked as he walked in.

 

"Nothing," I answered as I left. "Nothing at all."

 

I made my way towards the library.

 

While I was there, I lamented over mine and the Tiger Man's interrupted moment.

 

What a shame...I was enjoying myself, and I could tell that the he was, too.

 

Perhaps another time, I guess.

 

   Subsequently, I saw him sleeping by the railings. My first thought was that he might get cold, so I went to the Women's Quarters, grabbed a blanket, left the room, walked over to the sleeping Tiger, covered him up, and left.

 

_'Maybe one day, we can pick up where we left off.'_

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   Three days since that Crane Woman joined our crew. Been avoiding her ever since. Damn...I gotta hand it to her, she sure is persistent. As if her pursuing me for two weeks wasn't proof enough.

 

_'What the hell does she want from me?!'_

 

*sigh*

 

Well, as I took a break from my workout, she approached me.

 

"What do you want, Crane Woman?"

 

"I just thought I'd keep you company," she said. "We got off on the wrong foot, before."

 

I snorted, "That's an understatement."

 

_'BIG understatement.'_ I thought.

 

"I wanted to apologize for calling you slow." she said.

 

I growled a little.

 

There was silence for about ten seconds.

 

"...Apology accepted," I tell her. "Now...why don't you go read or something? I've got training to do."

 

In short: GO AWAY.

 

Five days later, I go to the kitchen to drink some booze, and guess who I happened to see there?

 

That's right, the Crane Woman. She was reading a book at the table.

 

"Oh, hey,"

 

"Hey." she said.

 

"I'm, uh...I'm just getting a drink,"

 

"All right." she went back to reading her book.

 

_'Why does she always show up where I am?!'_

 

Next, I walked over to the cabinet, and grabbed a bottle of sake.

 

"Hello, beautiful," I said before I opened it.

 

I drank the sake from the bottle.

 

"Aahh!" I sighed. "Good booze."

 

Heard the Crane Woman chuckling.

 

"What's so funny, onna?"

 

"Oh, nothing," she said.

 

"Right..."

 

Then I left.

 

Two days later, we meet again out on the deck. This time...no more Mr. Nice Tiger.

 

I walked towards that Crane Woman.

 

"Can I help you?" she asked.

 

   I didn't say a word. I just glared at her, and she started backing away. I started walking towards her to the point where she was backed up against the wall.

 

She didn't look nervous, but I could tell she was on the inside.

 

"Is...there a problem?" she asks.

 

Once we were face to face, I slammed my hand on the wall, next to her face, and said, "You're damn right there is!"

 

She gulped.

 

"You're awfully close, Mr. Swordsman." she said.

 

I growled at this. Listen to her, trying to be all smug.

 

"Listen here and listen good, Crane Woman,"

 

"Y-yes?"

 

"you may have the others wrapped around your finger, but I'm not fooled. Don't you dare think for a second that we're friends, because we're not! I swear, if you try anything, I will personally cut you down myself."

 

And I really meant it, that time.

 

"I have no intention of deceiving any of you."

 

"Could've fooled me."

 

Then...

 

"Hey guys."

 

We turn and we see Chopper. The little guy didn't know what was going on.

 

"What's going on?"

 

"It's nothing," I tell him. "don't worry about it."

 

Then, I leave.

 

   As the weeks pass by, I learned some things about the Crane Woman. She likes this music group called Florence + The Machine.

 

I even told her about Kuina. I think she actually felt sorry for me. In spite of that, I still couldn't fully trust her.

 

There had been something growing between the two of us...

 

...something I never felt before. As well as another thing...one feeling that I don't recall ever experiencing.

 

_'Could it be...'_ I thought. _'...no, that's ridiculous.'_

 

It just can't happen, okay?

 

That's what I believed, at least.

 

Moving on, one day we were docked at some island, and the others left to go and get supplies, leaving me alone with her.

 

Oh, of all the things that could've happened.

 

   I was exercising, and she was sitting by the railings, drinking her coffee. As I took a break from my workout, she walks up to me, saying, "You sure do work out a lot, don't you?"

 

"Yeah, what of it?"

 

"No reason," she said.

 

I growled at her before looking away.

 

Then...I feel her touching my shoulders. Felt very smoothing.

 

"You're so tense. You need to relax a bit more." she whispered.

 

   She began scratching behind my ears, causing me to start purring. Yes, I know it's weird for Big Cats to purr, well, I'm not like most Big Cats!

 

Ahem!

 

Moving on, then she went down my shirt, making me purr more.

 

_'Wait a minute, what the hell?!'_

 

I growled at the wench.

 

"Will you stop that?! What the hell are you doing?!"

 

"What do you mean, Mr. Swordsman?" she asked, pretending to be oblivious.

 

I growled again.

 

_'Who the hell does she think she is?!'_

 

"Look, I know what you're trying to do, and it's not gonna work on me! You conniving little..."

 

I was cut off when she turned around, pulled her hair behind her, revealing her back and shoulders.

 

"...oh, god..."

 

Okay...don't tell anyone I said this...but...this is...kinda hot.

 

Ahem!

 

"A-Anyway, I don't trust you! End of story!"

 

"...Well...I'm not asking you to trust me, now am I?"

 

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

 

_'I just know I'm gonna regret this later on...'_

 

I looked around to make sure no one was watching, and...I gave in, and massaged her shoulders.

 

"Mm~!"

 

"Oh, yeah..."

 

Maybe...this might work out after all.

 

Uh...pardon me for a minute...or two...or...30.

 

(A/N: I am terribly sorry folks, but we cannot show you this racy scene. To compensate, here's a cute little video with kittens!

 

*shows a video with kittens*

 

Aren't they cute?! : D

 

Hm, I think the racy scene's simmered down a bit. Now, back to the story!)

 

About maybe...oh, I dunno, I lost track of time because I was making out with her in the kitchen! Who gives a damn, anyway?!

 

"Hello?"

 

_'...Oh, crap. Luffy's back early...I think.'_

 

"Damn. What's he doing back?"

 

"Hello~?"

 

"What?!"

 

"...What are you doing in here with Robin? And why's your shirt off?" he asked.

 

"Uhh..."

 

_'Crap, crap, CRAP!'_

 

If you think that's bad, that damn Fox showed up!

 

Man, did he look pissed. Not that that's ever scared me before.

 

"DAMN YOU, MOSS HEAD!!! WHAT'D YOU DO TO ROBIN-CHAN?!"

 

"IT'S NOT MY FAULT!!! SHE TEMPTED ME!!!"

 

"OH, DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLS***!!!"

 

Soon, we started fighting, and that's when Nami comes in.

 

"What in the name of the Great Ceiling Cat is going on?!"

 

"We found Zoro and Robin together in the kitchen, and for some reason, his shirt was off. Then Sanji got mad and started fighting with Zoro!" Luffy explained.

 

Nami's face turned bright red.

 

"What? What's the big deal?" he asked.

 

"Uh, I'll explain later."

 

   Then Robin got up and left. As she was leaving, Chopper, of all people, walks in and asks her what was going on, to which she thankfully tells him, "Nothing, nothing at all."

 

Little guy's way too innocent for his own good.

 

   Anyway, after the cook's and my fight was done, I was sitting by the railings, taking a nap. Then...I felt something being put on me. I open my eyes and I see a blanket around me...and then I see Robin walking away.

 

_'She may be a temptress...'_ I thought. _'...but I guess I could give her a chance.'_  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys haven't guessed the parody, the scene's parodying the seduction scene from _The Road to El Dorado_. I figured, hmm, this fits Zoro and Robin in a way, and thought, _'Why not parody that scene?'_ , and voila!


	6. Part VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Part VI of The Demon and the Flower._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part VI**

 

(I do not, nor will I _ever_ , own One Piece. This amazing series belongs to Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Just another normal day here on the Thousand Sunny.

 

*yawns*

 

   Oh, excuse me. I guess I'm a bit bored, though. The others seemed to be quite bored as well. I heard the captain saying something about snow.

 

_'Wait, snow?'_

 

We all look up to the sky, and we see not snow, but...little bits of debris. That, and a ship was about to fall on us.

 

_'Wait...a ship?'_

 

It was a large one at that.

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!" everyone screams.

 

Thankfully, we were able to avoid getting hit. Still, that was quite a shock.

 

   Ms. Navigator's log pose was pointing up towards the sky, too. That could only mean one thing: Our next destination would be the legendary Sky Island.

 

   The others didn't believe me at first, until Mr. Captain and Long Nose came back from the shipwreck with a map of a place called Skypiea.

 

Mr. Captain, Long Nose, and Mr. Doctor seemed excited to go. Mr. Swordsman, well...not so much.

 

There's just no pleasing him, is there?

 

   Anyway, Ms. Navigator decided to have our captain, Mr. Cook, and Mr. Swordsman dive underwater to salvage the ship. Luckily for them, Long Nose had made them diving suits out of barrels. He even made one to cover the captain's legs since he couldn't swim.

 

How nice.

 

   So, as they're salvaging the ship, we encountered another pirate ship. It looked a bit like a monkey. In fact, even the captain and crew looked like monkeys.

 

Cute.

 

Though, not as cute as our captain. Please don't tell Ms. Navigator I said that. She'll claw my eyes out...literally.

 

Anyway, it turns out that those pirates were salvage pirates led by the so-called "Salvage King" Masira.

 

Weird, I know.

 

   When the shipwreck came back up, a giant turtle ate it, and not long afterward, the sky grew dark...which was odd, because it was only the middle of the day.

 

Next, we saw something up in the sky.

 

...Oh, good lord, even I was scared.

 

There were these giant, shadowy figures, one of which was about to spear us.

 

**"SEA MONSTER~!!!"** everyone screamed.

 

Even the giant sea turtle was terrified!

 

The next thing I know, everyone starts rowing the ship away from those...things! I couldn't believe we managed to escape.

 

"That couldn't have been real!" Mr. Swordsman said.

 

"Those things were taller than the sky," Long Nose added.

 

   The cook lit his cigarette, inhaled, then blow out a puff of smoke, and said, "The Grand Line is an endless parade of mysteries and annoyance. I mean, look at the nightmare of just making it through, today!"

 

"First, there was that huge galleon that fell from the clouds on top of us," said Mr. Swordsman.

 

"The Log Pose's needle started pointing to the sky," Ms. Navigator added.

 

"A psycho, makeup-wearing monkey shows up and blocks our way," Long Nose also added.

 

"And then, a gigantic sea turtle came and ate our salvage ship," Mr. Doctor added, as well.

 

"Then, darkness fell," I added.

 

"...Because the biggest monsters I've ever seen in my life blocked out the sun!" Mr. Captain concluded.

 

"I must admit, even I was intimidated by those things."

 

...Apparently, Masira decided to hitch a ride with us...something that Mr. Captain, Mr. Swordsman, and Mr. Cook didn't agree with.

 

"BEAT IT!!!" they shouted as they kicked him off of the ship.

 

   Well, that's one problem out of our way. Now, back to our current predicament. We still had no way of knowing how to get to Skypiea. All of the things that Mr. Captain, Mr. Swordsman, and Mr. Cook managed to bring back were useless.

 

So, we headed to our next destination. The Island of Jaya. It's said to be a pirate hot spot.

 

Sounds like fun.

 

When we arrived there, I decided to do a bit of research on our next destination. Even got some shopping done, too.

 

   When I got back, it seemed that I missed out on some excitement. Mr. Captain and Mr. Swordsman had gotten into a bit of a scuffle, and Ms. Navigator was has having a hissy fit, no pun intended. She started yelling at me for some reason, but I just ignored her.

 

   That, and Mr. Doctor transformed and ended up jumping into the water...don't know why he did that. Thank goodness Mr. Swordsman went after him.

 

"Man overboard!" he shouted.

 

Moving on.

 

   I told the others that the person we should look for is named Montblanc Cricket. He would be able to help us prepare for our journey to Skypiea. He lived way on the other side of the island, apparently, so we made our way there. I didn't mind, though.

 

   On our way to Montblanc Cricket's house, we encountered yet another adversary. It looked like another monkey. Unmistakably, this one was Masira's brother. I believe his name is Shoujou.

 

Unsurprisingly, he wasn't too happy about what our Captain, Mr. Swordsman, and Mr. Cook did to Masira.

 

"We may've kicked his ass, but he's still alive!" Mr. Captain said.

 

   That didn't matter to him, since he was still angry with us. Then he pulled out a microphone and began screaming really loudly into it. The sound wave resulting from it was enough to actually damage the ship!

 

Long Nose wasn't too happy about that.

 

"He ruined all my good repairs!"

 

Well...I wouldn't call them "good".

 

They're more, how you say? Shabby?

 

Please don't tell him I said that.

 

Moving on.

 

We managed to escape, thanks to Ms. Navigator's instructions. I don't know what we'd do without her.

 

"That damn monkey! Look what he did to my repair job!" Long Nose snapped, hammering some boards together, with the help of Mr. Captain and Mr. Doctor.

 

Poor Merry.

 

   Mr. Captain didn't seem to make things any better. He said he was helping, but then he forgot how strong he was...so he kind of broke even more things, and that made it worse. Long Nose wasn't too happy about this.

 

"DAMMIT LUFFY!! I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE HELPING!!!"

 

"I AM!!!"

 

"THEN WHY ARE YOU BREAKING THINGS?!?"

 

"I DON'T KNOW!!!"

 

*ahem*

 

Moving on.

 

We managed to arrive on the other side of Jaya.

 

_'Hm. Odd.'_

 

   It looked like a palace when we looked at it from the front, but when we saw the back, we saw that it was actually a giant wooden cut-out. No one seemed to be living there.

 

   That's when Ms. Navigator found some sort of book. It was titled _Noland the Liar_. It was a very famous book in the North Blue. Mr. Cook happened to be from that sea.

 

So, she started reading the story.

 

"There once was a man named Noland the Liar," she read. "He was an explorer from 400 years ago, and he lived in the North Blue. The stories of his adventures were so amazing that nobody believed them. The villagers didn't know whether they were true or make-believe. One day, Noland returned from another one of his travels and went to the king. 'I saw a city of gold in the sea!' declared Noland."

 

What an interesting story.

 

"The king took 2000 soldiers and set sail with Noland to verify his claim. The journey was dangerous. They were hit by huge tempests and attacked by giant sea monsters."

 

"Scary!" Mr. Doctor cried.

 

"By the time they had arrived at their destination, only Noland, the king, and 100 soldiers were left...but all they saw was a vast jungle...and no city of gold in sight."

 

How unfortunate.

 

"The king was outraged and sentenced Noland to death for his treachery. Before Noland died, these were his last words. 'I can only believe that the city of gold had sunken into the sea.' The king and his subjects were flabbergasted, and no one ever believed Noland again...but he stuck to this lie until the very end."

 

That was the end. Such a tragic tale.

 

"It's so sad that the liar died without becoming a brave warrior of the sea," Ms. Navigator said.

 

"Why're you looking at me?!" Long Nose questioned. "And stop adding your damn commentary!"

 

   Then...we hear Mr. Captain screaming, followed by a splash, and that could only mean one thing. He fell into the sea, again. Ms. Navigator and Long Nose panicked a bit.

 

"AH!! LUFFY FELL INTO THE OCEAN AGAIN!!"

 

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

 

Suddenly, a man with a chestnut on his head pulls himself out of the water.

 

"Who the hell are you brats?!" he asked, taking a fighting stance. "You got some nerve, waltzing onto my property like this!"

 

Evidently, this man was Montblanc Cricket.

 

"Usopp! Go and save Luffy!" Mr. Cook ordered.

 

"Right!" Long Nose said.

 

"I get it," Cricket said. "You're after the gold, aren't you? In that case...die."

 

_'Oh, dear.'_

 

   Mr. Cook went after Cricket, who tried to kick him, luckily, the Fox Man managed to dodge, then Cricket tried to hit him with a chop. Fortunately, Mr. Cook managed to block that with his leg...until Cricket pulled a gun on him.

 

"Crap!" he cursed.

 

   Cricket fired the gun, and at first glance, it looked like he had shot Mr. Cook's head off...but it turned out the gun just had a blank in it.

 

"Idiot," Mr. Swordsman said. "Let me show you how it's done!"

 

   Just when he was about to charge...Cricket suddenly collapsed. Not surprising, since he is very old and he shouldn't overexert himself. Although, the Doctor didn't think that that was the case. So, after Long Nose managed to get Mr. Captain out of the sea, we rushed Cricket into his house...and we discovered that Cricket had Decompression Disease, otherwise known as "The Bends".

 

   The cause of this was from all those times he went diving into the ocean, searching for the lost City of Gold. What's worse is that it was potentially fatal.

 

Poor man.

 

   Despite his disease, he was still set on finding the City of Gold. So, while we were tending to him, the two monkeys from earlier come in.

 

"BOSS!! BOSS!!!" Masira shouted.

 

"BOSS, ARE YOU OKAY?!?" shouted Shoujou.

 

We're all just standing awkwardly...except for Long Nose and Mr. Doctor. They just panicked.

 

Obviously, Cricket was their boss...what were the odds?

 

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing to the boss?!" Masira questioned.

 

"He's sick, so we're taking care of him," Mr. Captain answered, bluntly.

 

Gotta give him credit for being honest.

 

"That's...SO NICE OF YOU~!!" the two monkeys sobbed.

 

_'...That was easy.'_

 

   At any rate, it turns out that Cricket's home is actually the headquarters of the so-called "Monkey Mountain Allied Force" and that Cricket himself was the leader.

 

Imagine that.

 

Masira, Shoujou, and Mr. Captain certainly did get along, but then again, they were all monkeys.

 

Charming.

 

"I can't believe you managed to kick Masira's ass!" Shoujou said. "It's pretty surprising for someone like you to overpower him!"

 

"Ah, there's nothing to it, really," Mr. Captain said.

 

"Eh? What's that?!"

 

"I bet you could kick his ass!"

 

_'Oh, boy.'_

 

"Luffy!" Mr. Doctor called. "The old man's coming around!"

 

"Really?!"

 

As he left to come see, Shoujou kicked Masira and sent him flying.

 

"He's right. I can kick Masira's ass!"

 

*sighs*

 

_'Oh, dear.'_

 

Moving on.

 

We all came in to see Cricket, who is smoking a cigarette.

 

"Hey, Diamond-Head! We wanna ask you something!" Mr. Captain said.

 

"What is it?" Cricket asked. "Oh, and uh, sorry for attacking you guys back there. I thought you were after my gold."

 

"You have gold?!" Ms. Navigator asked with Berry signs in her eyes.

 

"Don't even think about it, Nami," Long Nose said.

 

"Anyway, what do you want, kid?" Cricket asked Mr. Captain.

 

He then explained how we all needed to reach Skypiea.

 

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!! You mean you actually believe that crap?!" he asked.

 

Ms. Navigator looked ready to beat Cricket up, again, thank god Long Nose held her back.

 

_'I guess we won't be going to Skypiea after all.'_

 

"Are you saying it's not real?!" Mr. Captain asked.

 

"There was actually one man who said it did exist," Cricket answered, "but he went down in history as a liar and his descendants have been the objects of ridicule ever since."

 

Mr. Captain gaped at Long Nose in shock.

 

"WHY THE HELL DO YOU KEEP LOOKING ME?!"

 

   We soon found out that Montblanc Noland was Cricket's ancestor. I figured they were related somehow, because they both had a chestnut on their heads. It also turned out that Jaya was where the story took place.

 

Because of Noland's little "tall tale", the Montblanc Family lived in shame and ridicule.

 

How sad.

 

   Nevertheless, no one in the Montblanc Family held resentment towards Noland...because they knew that he wasn't lying about his claim.

 

Additionally, Cricket revealed something that the book didn't. It turns out that Noland was not smiling, like in the book. Oh, no.

 

In real life, he died with tears in his eyes.

 

I thought my life was tragic. It is, though this is just as sad.

 

   Noland said that the City of Gold sank into the sea due to the shifting of the tectonic plates...still, everyone believed he said that out of desperation...and he was laughed at for it.

 

Poor guy.

 

"So what you're trying to say is that you're trying to clear your family name by diving for the City of Gold?!" Long Nose asked.

 

"SHADDUP!!"

 

Cricket fired his gun at him. Luckily, he managed to dodge.

 

"It's not like that at all!" he says. "So what if Noland was lying or not? So what if he was a great explorer?! **I DON'T GIVE THE SLIGHTEST F***!!!** "

 

That's rather harsh.

 

"Because Noland's very blood courses through my veins...complete and total strangers ridiculed me throughout my entire life! DO YOU HONESTLY KNOW WHAT KIND OF HELL I'VE BEEN THROUGH?!?"

 

...I know that feeling all too well...

 

"Over the last 400 years, countless members of the Montblanc Family have gone out to sea to restore the family name...and all of them have disappeared without a trace. I was ashamed of my family...so I left home and became a pirate."

 

"You're a pirate too, old man?!" Mr. Captain asked.

 

"Yeah," he answered. "I didn't actually set out to be one. I just wanted to get away from Noland's curse is all. Then, ten years ago, my ship landed here on Jaya after an adventure. Ironically, as the one who hated my family and Noland the most...I, of all people, had to end up here...but as I stood on that cliff overlooking this island, which, as the book said, showed no trace of the City of Gold...I realized that fate brought me here. There was no escaping it."

 

...No escaping your fate, huh? I can relate to that.

 

"And so," Cricket said, "after my crew left me...I began to dive to search for the City of Gold. I don't care if I find it or not. I'm not really looking for it or trying to clear Noland's name. This is just my battle...with the man who ruined my life. Nothing more and nothing less."

 

I didn't know if he'd be alive long enough to finish that battle.

 

"What a brave man...!" Long Nose sobbed.

 

"Tissue?" I handed him some tissues.

 

He took some and blew his nose.

 

"Thanks, Robin." he sniffled.

 

"You're welcome."

 

Later, Cricket decided to tell us about how we could reach Skypiea.

 

"There's this thing called the 'Knock-Up Stream'," he told us. "It's a huge torrent of water that shoots skyward for exactly one minute."

 

   He even told us about the South Bird. If we get a South Bird, it's supposed to point us in the direction the Knock-Up Stream is supposed to be. It wasn't going to be easy, though. The South Bird lived deep in the jungle.

 

   We split up into three groups: Mr. Captain and Mr. Doctor were one group, Ms. Navigator, Mr. Cook, and Long Nose were another...and I was left with Mr. Swordsman.

 

_'Thank you so much, Lord.'_ I thought.

 

So, we got to work.

 

As we were searching for the South Bird, Mr. Swordsman was cutting down everything in sight...

 

"Would you please stop that?" I asked him. "You don't have to cut down every creature in plain sight."

 

"Sorry," he says. "but they shouldn't have gotten in my way."

 

I sighed...but then I hear a scream.

 

"Wait."

 

"What is it now?" Mr. Swordsman asked.

 

"Did you here that?"

 

"Hear what?"

 

_'You're a freakin' Tiger Man, you should have decent hearing.'_

 

I sighed. Then, he cut down yet another creature: a giant centipede.

 

"Do you have to cut down everything in sight? It's kind of rude."

 

"Their fault for getting in the way."

 

"Whatever...just watch out for that quicksand."

 

_'Good grief.'_

 

As I kept walking, I heard what sounded like someone drowning or something behind m--

 

_'.....Oh, dear.'_

 

What a calamity. Lucky for Mr. Swordsman I was there to get him out of the quicksand...even though I did warn him.

 

_'I wonder how the others are doing.'_

 

Eventually, we regrouped...and none of us had found the South Bird. Just insects.

 

*sigh*

 

This is one hard-to-find bird.

 

**JUOOOOOOOOOH~!!!**

 

Ok, maybe not. We look up at a nearby tree and see...the South Bird.

 

_'Perfect.'_

 

Or so I had thought.

 

"YOU DAMN BIRD!!" Mr. Captain shouts. "YOU MADE THOSE BEES CHASE US!!"

 

**"JUOOOOOOOOOH~!!!"** says the bird.

 

"He said 'How dare you intrude on my jungle!'" Mr. Doctor translated.

 

"YOUR JUNGLE?!" yelled Mr. Captain.

 

_'Oh, dear, here we go.'_

 

"GUM GU~M..."

 

The South Bird dropped a hornet's nest on him and he was suddenly surrounded by angry hornets.

 

_'This isn't good.'_

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! HELP ME!!!"

 

"LUFFY!!!"

 

_'All right, this was getting ridiculous!'_

 

"Seis Fleur!"

 

I grabbed the South Bird, rendering it unable to fly.

 

"Now that I can see it, it's easier to catch," I said.

 

"Great job, Robin!"

 

I smiled.

 

   We brought the bird back to Cricket's place, but...when we got back...it looked like the place had been ransacked! Merry was damaged, too. Not only that, Cricket, Masira, and Shoujou were beaten severely. When we asked who did it, I think he said..."Bellamy".

 

   Our Captain was enraged when he heard about what this man, Bellamy, had done. I wasn't really around, so I don't have a clue as to who he is, but clearly, Mr. Captain and Ms. Navigator have some sort of grudge against him. He went after Bellamy, and the sun was going to be up, soon. Ms. Navigator and Cricket told him that he had until then to get back.

 

That, and he needed to get back Cricket's gold. Did I forget to mention that?

 

I guess I did.

 

   So, while he was gone, we had to get the Going Merry ready to fly. In order to prepare Merry for flight, we had to put wings on her and, for some reason, a chicken's comb.

 

Do not ask me why.

 

   As we worked, we waited for hours for Mr. Captain to return. Ms. Navigator was steadily growing impatient. Knowing her, that's not good.

 

"What the hell's taking him so long?!" she asked. "Zoro! Go get him!"

 

"Why the hell should I?!"

 

"Because I said so!"

 

"What?!"

 

*sighs*

 

_'Oh, dear.'_

 

"HEY~!!!"

 

   Well, speak of the Devil. Mr. Captain came back with all of Cricket's gold, also, it looked like he found a little prize for himself: a Hercules Beetle.

 

Looks like he's an eager bug collector. It's a bit cute, actually.

 

Although, the others didn't think so...

 

"YOU SPENT ALL THAT TIME LOOKING FOR A DAMN BUG?!" Ms. Navigator questioned.

  


  


"Yep! Shishishishi--OW!!! WHAT'D YOU HIT ME FOR?!?"

 

"BECAUSE YOU'RE AN IDIOT!!!"

 

_'Yikes...'_

 

Sometimes I wonder how someone so sweet and innocent could be in love with such a hothead.

 

Don't tell her I said that. Seriously, that girl is nuts.

 

"AWESOME~!!!" he said when he saw Merry.

 

He even gave Masira and Shoujou the Hercules beetle he caught as a token of thanks.

 

How sweet.

 

   We boarded the Going Merry, and as we're waiting for the Knock-Up Stream, Cricket tells Mr. Captain, "Boy, this is where we part ways, but I'm gonna tell you one thing I'm certain of. No one has ever proven that the City of Gold or Skypiea DOESN'T exist. If people laugh and say they're just dumb tall tales...then let 'em laugh!"

 

Mr. Captain seemed to grin. Cricket does make a valid point.

 

"THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT A GRAND ADVENTURE!!" he adds.

 

"A grand adventure...yeah!" Mr. Captain agreed.

 

It's sweet. Truer words have never been spoken.

 

   We waited patiently for the Knock-Up Stream. As we did, the sky suddenly grew dark, like before. Not only that, but another pirate crew came after us.

 

   Apparently, they were after Mr. Captain and Mr. Swordsman. It appears their bounties went up after the whole incident on Alabasta.

 

Mr. Captain - 100,000,000 Berries.

 

Mr. Swordsman - 60,000,000 Berries.

 

   Mr. Cook seemed rather disappointed, though. Not long after that, the Knock-Up Stream decided to make its presence known. We were sent flying right into the sky. It was quite a ride, I must say. We were all hanging on for dear life.

 

I'm looking forward to exploring the island.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   Man, I'm bored. Nothing to do but lift weights all day...Hey, I like training as much as the next guy, but even that can get really boring!

 

"Lazy Tiger."

 

"SHUT UP, NAMI!!!"

 

Luffy was saying something about snow. What is it with him and snow, anyway?

 

Turns out it wasn't really snow...it was falling debris. That, and we look up into the sky and...

 

_'Wait a minute, what the hell?!'_

 

A SHIP WAS FALLING FROM THE SKY!!! WHAT THE F***ING HELL?!?

 

I don't even know how we were able to avoid that ship, yet in some crazy way, we did!

 

   Nami's Log Pose was pointing up towards the sky for some reason, and that's when Robin came up with the crazy notion that there must be an island in the sky. Well, we didn't believe her at first until Luffy and Usopp (the troublemakers) decide to go and check the shipwreck out, and what do they come back with?

 

A map of an island in the sky called Skypiea!

 

I really gotta start believing her more.

 

"That, you should."

 

"Dammit, Nami! Would you get outta here?!"

 

"AHAHAHAHAHA!!"

 

"SHUT IT, LUFFY!!!"

 

Freakin' Cat and Monkey...

 

Anyhoo, Nami made Luffy, the Cook, and myself dive underwater to salvage the ship. I know what you're thinking.

 

"Diving? Luffy can't swim!"

 

That's why Usopp made us these special diving suits made outta barrels.

 

   Anyway, we couldn't really find much. Just shells and pieces of junk. While underwater, we meet this Monkey Man, named Masira. He and Luffy seemed to get along pretty well. Then again, they are both monkeys.

 

Then, out of nowhere, Masira goes ape on our asses (no pun intended) and starts attacking us!

 

_'Why does this crap always happen to us?!'_

 

   Well, regardless of all that,we somehow managed to make it out of there alive! Another thing, out of nowhere, a giant sea turtle eats the fallen ship and soon, the sky went dark.  


That wasn't even the worst part. Oh, no. The worst part...was when these...ginormous things showed up, towering over us!

 

They even had me scared s***less! ME! Hardly ANYTHING scares me!

 

Don't let the cook hear this, by the way.

 

"Too late."

 

"DAMMIT!"

 

"Though, Sanji was just as scared as you were."

 

"Don't tell him that, Usopp!"

 

"AHAHAHAHAHA!!"

 

"Oh, shut up, Luffy! You looked like you were gonna crap your pants when you saw those things!!"

 

"...You don't gotta say it like that. I'm actually pretty self-conscious when it comes to that, you know!"

 

"WOULD ALL OF YOU JUST GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE?!"

 

Damn, I'm getting interrupted by everybody today.

 

Moving on.

 

We got out the oars and rowed the ship outta there! I don't even know how we were able to escape those things!

 

"That couldn't have been real!"

 

"Those things were taller than the sky," Usopp said.

 

   The cook lit his cigarette, inhaled, then blow out a puff of smoke, and said, "The Grand Line is an endless parade of mysteries and annoyance. I mean, look at the nightmare of just making it through, today!"

 

"First there was that huge galleon that fell from the clouds on top of us," I say.

 

"The Log Pose's needle started pointing to the sky," added Nami.

 

"A psycho, makeup-wearing monkey shows up and blocks our way," said Usopp.

 

"And then, a gigantic sea turtle came and ate our salvage ship," Chopper said.

 

"Then, darkness fell," Robin added.

 

"Because the biggest monsters I've ever seen in my life blocked out the sun!" Luffy finished.

 

"I must admit, even I was intimidated by those things."

 

_'...Hey, wait a second. I only remember there being seven of us on this ship, not eight!'_

 

That damn Masira stowed away on our ship! Luffy, the Cook, and I had to kick him off! Literally!

 

"BEAT IT!!"

 

   After dealing with that pain in the ass, we had to figure out a way to get to Skypiea. While we were busy, Luffy decided to play around in that suit of armor we found.

 

Idiot.

 

**SMASH!!!**

 

   What the hell?! Nami just crushed it, and Luffy was still inside! I will never understand what he sees in that crazy, boot-wearing Cat Woman.

 

   Anyhow, Robin found something that could help us: an Eternal Pose that pointed to an island called Jaya. Wonder how she got that. Probably found it when that galleon fell on us.

 

Anyhoo, we make it to Jaya and you won't believe the crap we had to put up with.

 

   First we run into this sick old man who fell off his horse. He offers us some apples, Luffy eats one and then an explosion occurs! It turns out that someone else got some apples from the old man, and when they took a bite they explode!

 

Nami was freaking out and grabbed Luffy's throat. Looked like she was going to kill him more than the apple did!

 

"Luffy! Spit that apple out, right now!!"

 

"But I already swallowed it!"

 

"WHAT?!"

 

Thankfully, it turned out the apple was a dud.

 

   Next, we enter a bar. Luffy ended up getting into an argument with some fatass Hippo Man. It was a really stupid argument at that.

 

   First, they were fighting about the quality of the cherry pies, then the quality of the drinks, and then how much food each wanted to take!

 

"I'M GONNA BEAT THE LIVING CRAP OUTTA YOU!!!"

 

"DO YOU TWO EVEN HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA WHAT YOU'RE FIGHTING ABOUT?!?!"

 

Jeez! What are they, five?!

 

"Luffy! We don't have enough money to buy dozens of steaks! We aren't here to shop!"

 

Thank you, Nami.

 

Anyhow, Nami asks the barkeep about how to get to the Sky Island, and do you know what happens?

 

Everyone laughs at us.

 

   Clearly, these people don't believe in Sky Island. Then, in comes this guy: Bellamy. Even now, just uttering that asshole's name makes me wanna use him as a scratching post.

 

He walks up to me and Luffy...and surprisingly orders him a drink.

 

"Hey! You're a pretty nice guy, huh?"

 

...Oh, Luffy. If only you'd realized how wrong you were about to be.

  


  


(A/N: I hear you, Zoro.: ()

 

   As Luffy was about to take a sip of his drink, that bastard grabs his head and slammed him into the table! Where the f*** does he get off?! Luffy was about ready to kick that loser's ass, too.

 

   Then, Bellamy goes on about how dreams don't matter in the world of pirates, anymore. He says all that matters is how big your bounty is.

 

Suddenly...Luffy decides not to fight, and he tells me not to fight either.

 

   Naturally, I followed his command. It wasn't easy...especially when Bellamy and his little friends started beating the living s*** out of us.

 

   I've never felt so humiliated...even so, when the captain gives me an order, I can't disobey him, no matter how ridiculous it is. Nami wasn't too happy about this, though can you honestly blame her? Her boyfriend was being beaten to near-death!

 

   After the beating we took, Bellamy's first mate had the balls to try and buy her off as if she were for sale! Even after she told them off, they still laugh! Bastards!

 

   She drags both Luffy and myself out of that bar, and all the while, those punks are still laughing at us. I can imagine Nami's pretty pissed, as well.

 

"The sky island is real."

 

That Hippo Man from earlier was eating some cherry pies.

 

"Zehahahaha!" he laughed. "That place really does make a killer cherry pie."

 

At that point, Nami decides to drop me and Luffy on the ground. Didn't hurt as much as the beating we took.

 

She asks the man, "Got something you wanna say?"

 

"You did well telling those guys off, little girl." he answered. "You're two friends won that fight without even throwing a punch!"

 

...In a way, he's kinda right. Nami just didn't get it.

 

"All that talk about a new era's just a load of crap."

 

   At that moment, Luffy and I decided to pick ourselves up off the ground. The Hippo Man then says, "Sometimes you come across fights that just aren't worth fighting. Right?"

 

   We didn't say a word. We just stared at him. He talked a lot of sense. However, something told us not to trust him. I'll get to that, later.

 

He slammed his bottle down, and said, "THE DREAMS OF PIRATES WILL NEVER END!!!"

 

   We still didn't speak. The citizens walking by only laughed at the old guy. By that time, we decided to head back to the Going Merry.

 

Later on, Chopper tended to our wounds.

 

"So what happened to you guys?" Usopp asks. "It looks like you were mauled by a pack of rabid wolves!"

 

_'I wish.'_

 

"It was pirates," Luffy said. "But we're okay, just some scratches."

 

"JUST SOME SCRATCHES?!"

 

_'Oh, boy...'_

 

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?! YOU ARE MEN, RIGHT?!? WHY DIDN'T YOU KICK THEIR ASSES?!?"

 

"Uh, Nami...didn't you make us promise not to fight?" I ask.

 

"SHUT UP ZORO!! THE PAST IS IN THE PAST!!!"

 

Yeesh! Take a chill pill, Nami!

 

Then Chopper says, "Hey, did you guys ever find out about the Sky Island?"

 

"Sky-Is-land?"

 

Next, Usopp plays dead and Chopper goes into his Guard Point form.

 

"I am the Ketchup Star~."

 

"Guard Point!"

 

"Looks like I missed out on some excitement."

 

We look up and we see Robin.

 

"Oh, hey, Robin!"

 

Suddenly, Nami goes ballistic on her.

 

"THAT'S RIGHT, ROBIN!!! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO STARTED SPEWING ABOUT ALL THAT NONSENSE!!! IF THIS SKY ISLAND TURNS OUT TO NOT EXIST, I'M GONNA THROW YOU OVERBOARD WITH ROCKS IN YOUR POCKETS!!!"

 

"JUMPING POINT!!!"

 

***SPLASH!!***

 

_'Dammit, Chopper!!!'_

 

"Man overboard!!"

 

I went in after the nutty reindeer. Seriously, I don't know what Luffy sees in that crazy cat!

 

   Anyhoo, I managed to fish Chopper out of the water. What the hell was he thinking?! I mean, was Nami THAT scary to him?! Honestly!

 

Moving on.

 

   Turns out Robin found out about someone who might be able to help us get to the Sky Island. Some guy named "Montblanc Cricket" or something or other.

 

   On our way to Cricket's house, we run into yet another pain in the ass! Another Monkey Guy named Shoujou...and he turns out to be Masira's brother! Dude was pissed at us for kicking Masira's ass.

 

If you ask me, he brought it on himself!

 

   Now, get this: He takes this microphone...he screams into it, and the sound waves are so huge, it starts to tear apart the ship!

 

WHAT THE HELL, MAN?!

 

Lucky for us, we managed to get the hell outta there! Again, thank you, Nami.

 

"No problem."

 

Usopp made some repairs to Merry...really s****y ones, if you ask me. Luffy...well...he helped...more or less.

 

"Define 'Helped'."

 

"I said it was an accident! I don't know my own strength! Let it go!!!"

 

*groans*

 

   Anyway, we sail on to Cricket's place. When we get there, we see this big palace on the shore...turned out to be a wooden cutout of one.

 

Behind it was a house, or rather, half of a house. It looked like nobody was home.

 

   Then, Nami finds a book titled _Noland the Liar_. Apparently, this guy named Montblanc Noland found a City of Gold...but when he brought his king there to see it, it was gone and he got executed for lying.

 

That really sucks.

 

He died, believing that the City of Gold sank into the sea. That, also, sucks.

 

"HEY! LUFFY FELL INTO THE SEA!!!"

 

_'What?! Again?! That idiot!'_

 

Turns out he didn't fall in, this time. He was pulled in by some old guy. An old guy with a chestnut on his head. Wait...

 

...a chestnut on his head...just like that Noland guy...! He must be a relative of his.

 

"No s***, Sherlock!"

 

"DAMMIT, WOULD YOU GET OUT OF HERE YA LOVESICK COOK!!!"

 

   It was then that we concluded that this guy must be Old Man Cricket. So, we get into a fight this guy, and the damn cook was having a hard time dealing with the old man.

 

   Then, outta nowhere, he collapses on the ground! I'm not all that surprised, though. That is...until we heard why the Old Man collapsed.

 

   Turns out he has Decompression Disease, otherwise known as "The Bends". It was from all that diving and he could die from it. What the hell was he trying to prove, anyway?

 

   If that wasn't bad enough, those crazy monkey brothers from earlier show up! I almost thought we had to have another fight on our hands! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm tired of fighting!

 

"HA! HE ADMITS IT!!!"

 

"PUT A SOCK IN IT COOK!!! THIS IS MY STORY, NOT YOURS!!!"

 

That was when Luffy told them that we were tending to Old Man Cricket, and their tune changed automatically.

 

"THAT'S...SO KIND OF YOU~!!!"

 

Oh, brother...That was way too easy.

 

So, anyway, it turns out that I was right. Cricket is Noland's descendant.

 

"What do you mean you were right?!"

 

"Didn't I just tell you to put a sock in it?!"

 

   As I was saying, Old Man Cricket spent many years diving for the City of Gold, but not because he was trying to prove that Noland was right. Turns out he hates the guy.

 

Go figure.

 

   After some sob story and a little bit of a party, Old Man Cricket agrees to help us get to the Sky Island. To get there, we had to travel up the 'Knock Up Sream'. To find the Knock-Up Stream, we had to find this bird called the South Bird. Cricket says it has some kind of a compass in its head or something or other.

 

"That makes Zoro dumber than an animal!"

 

"LIKE YOU HAVE ROOM TO TALK, LUFFY!!"

 

Freakin' Monkey.

 

   The bird was located in the jungle. We split up into three groups: Luffy and Chopper, Nami, Sanji, and Usopp, and I was paired up with Robin.

 

Perfect...and I'm not being sarcastic.

 

"Could've fooled me."

 

"GAAAH!!! GET OUT OF HERE, USOPP!!!"

 

   Robin and I were searching for the bird. On the way, some dumb insects decided to get in my way. So, I cut them all down. Robin didn't seem to like that much.

 

"Do you have to cut down everything in sight? It's kind of rude."

 

"Their fault for getting in the way."

 

"Whatever...just watch out for that quicksand."

 

_'Wait...quicksand?_ _I don't see any quicks--_ _'_   


*GRRRBBLEBLUUUURRGG!!*

 

(A/N: Criminy. XC Folks, this is gonna take a while, so in order to compensate, I'm gonna show you a clip of some cute puppies.

 

*shows a clip of cute puppies*

 

All right, I think he's out now. Back to the story.)

 

*pants*

 

Okay...that was totally unexpected.

 

   Afterwards, we regroup with the others. Nobody had found that damn bird, yet! For crying out loud, what do we gotta do in order to bring it to us!?

 

**JUOOOOOOOOOH~!!!**

 

...Apparently, nothing...because it's right above us.

 

"YOU DAMN BIRD!!" Luffy shouted. "YOU MADE THOSE BEES CHASE US!!"

 

   Then, the bird goes on about how this is his jungle and that we're intruders. Chopper translated what he was saying for us. Tch, damn buzzard. Acting as though he owns the place. Luffy was about to go after him, but the bird dropped a beehive on him! This is something I'd expect to happen in a Looney Tunes cartoon.

 

   Anyway, thanks to Robin, we finally caught that nuisance...but when we got back to Old Man Cricket's house...the whole place had been ransacked.

 

Not only that, but our ship was damaged, too!

 

Guess who's responsible? I'll give you a hint: He laughs like a hyena.

 

Give up? Bellamy.

 

   Man, doesn't that f***er ever quit?! He even stole all of Old Man Cricket's gold! Worst of all, he beat him, Masira, and Shoujou up, too!

 

_'That tears it! I'm gonna chop that f***er down to size!'_

 

   Then, Luffy says he's gonna go and get the gold back, and Old Man Cricket told him has until dawn! Nami reminded him again, too. So, he left.

 

   While he was away, we got Merry ready for flight. She looked really weird. She looked like a chicken, which, by the way, CANNOT FLY.

 

*sigh*

 

I can't believe half of the crazy s*** we go through, sometimes.

 

   Anyway, morning comes around, and Luffy was still not back yet! Worse, Nami was getting really pissed! She even tried to make me go after him!

 

Just when we think we're gonna have to leave without him, he finally decides to show his ass. Oh, and guess what.

 

   The reason why he was taking so damn long getting back was not because of Bellamy...but because he was looking for a DAMN BUG!!!

 

"YOU SPENT ALL THAT TIME LOOKING FOR A DAMN BUG?!"

 

"Yep! Shishishishi--OW!!! WHAT'D YOU HIT ME FOR?!?"

 

"BECAUSE YOU'RE AN IDIOT!!!"

 

Agreed.

 

   Anyway, after Luffy decided to give Masira and Shoujou his Hercules Beetle, we got on board and sailed off for the Knock-Up Stream.

 

Knock-Up Stream...why do I think of something other than water shooting up into the sky whenever I hear that?

 

(A/N: That one was Fang's idea! XD)

 

Hm.

 

   Well, before sailing off, Cricket tells Luffy, "Boy, this is where we part ways, but I'm gonna tell you one thing I'm certain of. No one has ever proven that the City of Gold or Skypiea DOESN'T exist. If people laugh and say they're just dumb tall tales...then let 'em laugh!"

 

Old man sure talks sense.

 

"THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT A GRAND ADVENTURE!!" he said.

 

We all smile.

 

"A grand adventure...yeah!" said Luffy.

 

   So, we leave to look for the Knock-Up Stream. The sky turned dark, same as before. That meant we were right where we needed to be. As we were waiting for the Knock-Up Stream, another pirate ship was heading our way. Well...it looked more like a giant raft. That Hippo Man from earlier was on it.

 

   He said he was after the bounties on our heads. Apparently, Luffy's bounty got higher after the whole incident on Alabasta, and I got myself a new one.

 

"This is great!" Luffy said. "Hear that?! My bounty went up, BIG TIME!"

 

"60 million's not too bad either!" I said, proudly.

 

The cook was bummed out because he didn't get a new bounty. Whatever.

 

Anyway, it was time for us to go. The Knock-Up Stream shot us all into the sky. We were all hanging on for dear life...but thankfully we had Nami.

 

Next stop: Skypiea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked.


	7. Part VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Part VII of The Demon and the Flower._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part VII**

 

(I don't own One Piece. I will _never_ own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda owns this crazy wonderful series.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

   Here we are, on our way to Skypiea. This sea of clouds is so beautiful. It seems to go on forever. So tranquil. Aside from Long Nose falling into the clouds and Mr. Swordsman had to go and rescue him...

  


  


Mr. Captain seemed to be enjoying himself, though.

 

   On our way to the Sky Island, we were attacked by a man wearing a mask. Thankfully, we were rescued by a knight named Gan Fall. He rode on this odd creature named Pierre.

 

   Then, we arrived at the entrance to the Sky Island. We met an old woman there. She said we had to pay a toll of some sort in order to get in. The price was fairly high. I don't think they even use Berries as currency, here. Not surprising, really. Though, we entered anyway.

 

   Miss Navigator had a bad feeling about doing so, however. She quickly changed her mind when she saw the beach up ahead. Once we arrived there, we all had a wonderful time. The Doctor seemed to have fun rolling around in the soft clouds, and Mr. Captain, for some reason, was fighting with Long Nose. Said something dropping a fruit on his head.

 

"YOU PRACTICALLY CRACKED MY BRAIN INTO MY CHEST!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!?"

 

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

 

It was cute, actually.

 

  Then, we hear someone playing a harp, nearby. It was being played by a girl. She had strawberry blonde hair, which was done up in an antennae style, and she had a pair of wings on her back.

 

"Heso," she said.

 

It must be the native way of saying hello.

 

...They do realize it actually means "navel", don't they? Such an odd island.

 

   Anyway, it turns out that the girl's name is Conis. Cute name. Sweet girl, too. Even cut a hole in that fruit for Mr. Captain so he could drink the juice inside. We even met her pet fox. Sue, I think she was called. All the little one could say was her name. How cute. I think that's why she's called Sue.

 

We also met Pagaya, Conis' father. Nice old man, this one.

 

   They both invited us into their home. Miss Navigator decided to stay at the beach for a while. She was trying out a special vehicle called a waver.

 

"How come she's so good at it?! She only just started! I wanted to try!!"

 

"Quit your whining, Luffy! Robin-chan's telling a story!"

 

"Thank you, Mister Cook."

 

"You're welcome, Robin, my dear!"

 

Anyway, Mr. Captain was a bit bummed out that he didn't get to ride the waver. Poor dear. There's always next time, I guess.

 

   Moving on, Conis showed us some rather interesting things. Every thing here on Skypiea is made of clouds, even the furniture in their house. Not only that, we even learned about these devices called "Tone Dials". The Captain even tested one out himself.

 

"Usopp stinks~!"

 

"Why do you always pick on me?!"

 

Poor Long Nose.

 

"Seriously, Luffy! Why'd you have to go and say that?! Couldn't you have said 'Usopp's the greatest' or something better than 'Usopp stinks'?!"

 

"Well, you do kinda smell."

 

"Boys! Shut up, or no dessert!!"

 

"Yes, Nami."

 

"Thank you."

 

   Now, where was I? Oh, right. Eventually, Mr. Swordsman, Mr. Doctor, and I went back outside. It was sweet. The view, that is.

 

*sigh*

 

   We decided to go back to the ship for a while. I decided to get some reading done. I couldn't really hear Miss Navigator anymore. I wonder what happened to her. I hope she's all right.

 

   Suddenly, I hear a scream. It sounded like Miss Navigator. In fact, it was the Booted Puss Woman. She came back on the waver and she looked really terrified. Whatever she saw must've scared her terribly. As soon as she came back, she told us about how this man was being chased. Not only that, she said she saw a giant dog, I believe.

 

Well, we've seen stranger things...

 

   Moving on, she then tells us that the man who was being chased was completely eradicated by a bolt of lightning. Now that can be a bit frightening. Even for me.

 

"Ugh...I hate lightning!"

 

"Why are you upset about lightning? It can't hurt you!"

 

"But it's loud and scary!"

 

"Luffy! Usopp! What'd I say about interrupting?! Pipe down or else I'll have you both eat Brussels Sprouts!"

 

"NO! NOT THAT!!"

 

"THEN SHUT UP!!!"

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

All right, then.

 

   Mr. Captain seemed really excited to go and explore the island where God lived. Conis explained to us earlier about how the people of Skypiea were forbidden to set foot there. It was called Upper Yard. Hm. Sounds as though it would be a name for a prison or something. Oh well.

 

Mr. Captain really wanted to go and see Upper Yard for himself, though Miss Navigator said no.

 

"You're going there over my dead body!!"

 

"Aw, but Nami--"

 

"NO BUTS!!!"

 

   Knowing him, he'd go to Upper Yard, regardless of her objections. I hate to sound like the Swordsman, but...what does he see in her?

 

Oh, well. Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.

 

   Moving on, Mr. Captain was a little depressed that he couldn't go to Upper Yard. Poor sweetie. If I could give him a hug, I would...on the other hand, I'm afraid Miss Navigator might get the wrong idea and try to clip my wings and I like being able to fly, thanks...I'm being serious, that girl is crazy.

 

"What was that, Robin?!"

 

"What was what?"

 

"...I thought you said something about me being crazy. Must've been me."

 

Oh, that was close.

 

   Now, then where was I? Oh yeah, Mr. Captain was depressed about not being able to go to Upper Yard. Anyway, it also turns out that now, we're wanted fugitives, since we didn't pay the toll. Miss Navigator's instincts were right, not that I ever doubted them before. These men known as the White Berets would be coming soon. They're the supposed police force around Skypiea. We couldn't stay here any longer, or else Conis and Pagaya would be held accountable for helping us. So, we boarded the ship. Well...some of us.

 

   Then, out of the blue, a giant lobster appeared and carried our ship away with Miss Navigator, Mr. Swordsman, Mr. Doctor, and myself on it. This may not turn out very well.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   Well, here we are. On our way to Skypiea. Feels really calming. That is, if you're not trying to fish one of your crewmates out of a sea of clouds.

 

"How was I supposed to know there wasn't a bottom?!"

 

"Man, Usopp, you sure looked stupid!"

 

"Oh, shut up, Luffy! You can't even swim!"

 

"Would you two get out of here?!"

 

   Anyway, we kinda got attacked by some guy in a mask on the way to Skypiea. Luckily, some old man in a suit of armor came and saved our asses. His name is Gan Fall. We even met his flying horse, Pierre. Or...was it a bird. I don't know, it was some weird-looking creature, all right?!

 

"Actually, I think it was a Pegasus. An ugly Pegasus."

 

(A/N: _Very_ ugly.)

 

"Thank you, Nami! You can go now!"

 

   Anyhoo, we make it to the gates of Skypiea and an old woman was there, saying that we had to pay a toll in order to get in. We don't even know the currency here! Still, we went in anyhow...Nami had a bad feeling about doing so. Luffy? Well...Luffy was just being an idiot, as usual.

 

Next, we arrived at a beach and we all had fun there. Especially Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper.

 

Oh, and don't tell her I said this...but Robin looked absolutely hot.

 

"Zoro likes Robin~!"

 

"I DO NOT!!!"

 

"Then why are you blushing, hmm?"

 

"GET OUTTA HERE, LUFFY, BEFORE I CLAW YOUR FACE OFF!!"

 

"AAAAAAAAAAH!!! NAMI, HELP!! ZORO'S BEING MEAN TO ME~!!!"

 

"YOU LAY ONE CLAW ON LUFFY AND I'LL SKIN YOU ALIVE, ZORO!!!"

 

"Ah, crap!"

 

(A/N: We apologize for the intermission. This might take a while...ya might wanna go and grab an orange, children.

 

*Ten minutes later*

 

Ah, look! He's back! Intermission over!)

 

*pant, pant*

 

   Thank god I lost her. Okay, where was I? Oh, yeah, the beach. As we were all having a good time, we hear a harp being played. We look up and see this girl with antennae and angel wings.

 

"Heso." she said.

 

Heso? Doesn't she know that means "belly button"? Ah, well. Their country, their customs, I guess.

 

   We meet up with her fox, Sue, and her father, Pagaya. They invited us to their house for lunch while Nami stayed behind trying out this thing called a waver.

 

Luffy was pretty jealous, apparently. Whatever.

 

   Conis and Pagaya showed us these interesting devices called "Tone Dials". They looked like sea shells, but they're more than that. You could use them to record your voice, and then play it back.

 

   They could be good for using as a decoy whenever we need to escape from the Marines. Luffy had fun using one of those dials...at Usopp's expense.

 

"Usopp stinks~!"

 

"Why do you always pick on me?!"

 

Heh heh heh heh heh. Well, he does sort of tend to smell really bad.

 

"YOU TOO, ZORO?!?"

 

"What?! I'm just being honest!"

 

"Thank you!"

 

"SHUT UP, LUFFY!!"

 

"Would you both just please get the hell out of here?!"

 

Damn, what the hell's with everyone today? Always with the interruptions!

 

   All right, moving on. Robin, Chopper, and myself decided to go back to Merry for a bit. Luffy, Usopp, and the cook stayed behind to eat. Nami hadn't come back yet. I wonder where she went.

 

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~!!"

 

   Well, speak of the She-Devil. Here she comes now. She looked really freaked out for some reason. Said something about a giant dog and some guy getting killed by lightning. This all happened at a place called Upper Yard. According to Conis, that place is forbidden. She says it's where God lives.

 

Pssh...I don't believe in no god.

 

"AH!! ZORO!! THAT'S BLASPHEMY!!!"

 

"Oh, shut up, Usopp!!"

 

"I don't suppose you're gonna tell me that you don't believe in Ceiling Cat as well?"

 

"As a matter of fact, I DON'T!!! Same goes for Couch Cat and Basement Cat!!!"

 

"Wait, who're they?"

 

"Never mind, Luffy!"

 

"CAN I PLEASE GET BACK TO MY STORY?!?"

 

   Jeez! Freaking ferret...freaking monkey...Anyway...Luffy really wanted to go to Upper Yard, even though Nami said no. Moreover, it turns out that now, we're fugitives. It was because we didn't pay the toll. Now some guys called the White Berets are gonna be after us. We had to leave or else Conis and her old man would be in deep trouble. So, we got on the ship...well some of us. Nami, Robin, Chopper, and I were the only ones aboard!

 

   Okay, while we were on board, the craziest thing--well, one of the craziest things happened to us. A giant shrimp came, grabbed the ship, and took us away!

 

"Actually, it was a giant lobster."

 

"Okay! I get it!"

 

*sigh*

 

Bottom Line? Looks like we're heading for Upper Yard.

 

_'I just know Luffy's bummed out about this.'_   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked.


	8. Part VIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Part VIII of The Demon and the Flower._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part VIII**

 

(I do not, nor will I _EVER_ , own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda owns this crazy fantastic series.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

   Hello, again. Right now, Miss Navigator, Mr. Swordsman, Mr. Doctor, and myself have been taken deep into Upper Yard. Why, I'm not sure yet.

 

   Our ship, Merry, is currently perched on what appears to be a pillar, and we are currently surrounded by giant Sky Sharks. Miss Navigator and Mr. Doctor were freaking out; Mr. Swordsman didn't look at all scared. I'm not surprised, seeing as how he killed one of them.

 

   He also says he doesn't believe in any god. Didn't know he was an atheist. The Doctor seemed to admire him for it, though. Not only that, but Mr. Swordsman even said that he didn't believe in Ceiling Cat, Couch Cat, or Basement Cat. Miss Navigator wasn't too happy about this, though...In fact, it went something along the lines of:

 

"ARE YOU INSANE?! YOU'RE A CAT, TOO, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!"

 

"SO WHAT IF I AM?! I STILL DON'T BELIEVE IN NO DAMN GOD, CEILING CAT, COUCH CAT, OR BASEMENT CAT!!!"

 

Miss Navigator glared at him.

 

"And you have the balls to call yourself a Tiger Man."

 

Then, she spat into the water out of disgust.

 

*sigh*

 

   Moving on. After Mr. Swordsman made his claim on how he didn't believe in any god, Miss Navigator got down on her knees and started praying to God and to Ceiling Cat, Couch Cat, and Basement Cat.

 

"O powerful one, I just want you to know that I do not, in any way, agree with my idiot friend! To be honest, I don't even like him that much. Okay, bye." she prayed. "Another thing, O great and almighty Cats! Please forgive my idiot friend! Thank you."

 

I couldn't help but giggle.

 

   Anyway, we had to find some way off of this pillar and avoid those sharks. We decided to use some of the vines to swing over to the other side. The Swordsman had this special "Call of Bravery" while doing so. He sounded as though he was trying to imitate Tarzan.

 

   Next, it was my turn to get to the other side, then Miss Navigator's. She looked a little reluctant to come over, and I told her, "Don't worry! There's a slim chance you'll fall and get eaten by Sky Sharks!"

 

"THAT'S NOT HELPING, ROBIN!!!"

 

I was only being honest. The poor dear was still over at the ship.

 

"Be careful!" I called. "If you fall in, you'll surely die."

 

"STILL NOT HELPING!!!"

 

"Nami?" Mr. Doctor spoke out.

 

Miss Navigator looked down at him. She said, "Listen, Chopper, we need you to stay here and keep an eye on the ship, okay?"

 

"Right!" he nodded.

 

   Miss Navigator was still a bit nervous, yet she swung down anyways...screaming the whole way. She almost hit a tree, though I caught her in the nick of time.

 

"Well? You're not totally gutless." I told her.

 

"Thank you, Robin...!" she whimpered.

 

Poor thing. Nearly scared to death.

 

"Anytime."

 

"AAAAAAUUUUUUUUHH, is what you should've done." Mr. Swordsman told her.

 

"OH, SHUT UP, ZORO!!" Ms. Navigator snapped.

 

   Anyway, we continued onward. The jungle was very thick and deep. Went on for what appeared to be miles. I had to say, I was a bit surprised that soil would appear here on a Sky Island. You'd think there wouldn't be any, and yet here it is. Astounding.

 

_'I wonder what other marvels we'll find here.'_

 

   Apparently, we were about to find out. We found what resembled the other half of Cricket's house. In fact, it was the other half of his house. Only...it looked really ancient. That's when we found out that Upper Yard was the other half of Jaya.

 

_'Amazing!'_ I thought. _'Who knows what other type of untold history lies here on this island?'_

 

   Sooner or later, I had to find out for myself. We eventually decided to head back to the ship. On our way there, I noticed something rather odd.

 

   There were South Birds here, only...they were huge! Miss Navigator freaked out a bit...though, it didn't look like they meant any harm. They seemed friendly. Clearly not like those smaller ones. Though, Mr. Swordsman wasn't convinced. So anyway, we got back to the ship...and...it looked like it had been attacked. Mr. Doctor told us everything that had happened. Evidently, someone riding on a giant fire-breathing bird came and attacked the ship. Mr. Doctor called the Sky Knight and unfortunately, he ended up getting injured, too.

 

   Poor things. Luckily for them, they were rescued by the South Birds. Still, it appeared that we were going to be stuck here for quite some time now.

 

   As night began to fall, we see that Mr. Captain, Mr. Cook, and Long Nose had arrived in a little boat. It looked like some sort of crow. I've seen stranger things. Mr. Captain made quick work of the Sky Sharks. He even ate one of them.

 

"You're welcome!"

 

   Anyway, after Chopper was finished treating Gan Fall, we decided to have a little camp out. Next, we discussed on where we were going to find the gold. We all talked about it over a hot bowl of stew that Mr. Cook made.

 

"I don't know why," Mr. Doctor spoke up, "but the South Birds around here...referred to the Sky Night as God."

 

_'...Oh, my...!'_

 

"Wait! He's God?! So if we beat the crap outta this guy, the our job here is done?!"

 

"No, Luffy! How'd you get that outta what he's saying?!"

 

"Luffy! Usopp! Pipe down, you loudmouths!"

 

"Yeah, Luffy! Shut up!"

 

"Yeah! Wait, who's a loudmouth?"

 

"YOU ARE!!"

 

"You BOTH ARE! Can it!!"

 

_'Oh, dear...'_

 

"Ahem!" Miss Navigator cleared her throat. "Now then, does anyone remember what Noland's log said about the City of Gold?"

 

"Ooh! Ooh! Nami, I know!" Mr. Captain exclaimed, eagerly. "It's a City of Gold!"

 

"YOU'RE SUCH A DUMBASS!!" Long Nose shouts. "DO YOU EVER THINK BEFORE YOU TALK?!?"

 

"Uh...I think he said something South Birds and a giant gold bell," Mr. Cook answered. "Of course, there could be a lot more."

 

"The last thing he said before he died was something odd," I answered her question. "It said 'The City of Gold is in the skull's right eye.'"

 

"That's it!" Miss Navigator exclaimed.

 

   There is no mistaking that we had to search for the right eye of the skull. At first, we didn't know what that meant...until Miss Navigator merged the maps of Jaya and Upper Yard together to form a skull.

 

   We had to look on the Eastern side of the island where the skull's right eye is! We resolved to head on over there. Of course, it was late at night, so we had to wait until morning.

 

   After we finished eating, we were prepared to turn in for the night...although, Mr. Captain and Long Nose hadn't put out the campfire.

 

_'Oh, boy.'_

 

"Let's put out the fire if we don't need it, boys," I told them. "We shouldn't give our location away to our enemies."

 

"Hmph," Mr. Captain scoffed. "What a rookie move. You hear that, Usopp? She wants us to douse the fire. What're we gonna do?"

 

"Well, it's not her fault," replied Long Nose. "She hasn't been exposed to this kind of living before. We should be tolerant."

 

_'Okay, now they've lost me.'_

 

"What are you two talking about?" I asked.

 

   That's when they got down on their knees, saying, "YOU'RE ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CAMPFIRE WHEN YOU CAMP!!! THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT CAMPING!!!"

 

_'Okay...'_

 

"Seriously?! No one wants to hear your sob story, you morons!"

 

Just like that, our navigator goes ballistic again. Honestly, what does Mr. Captain see in her? I suppose I'll never know.

 

"Hey, Luffy! This enough wood for your little bonfire?"

 

"ZORO!!! SANJI!!! NOT YOU, TOO!!!"

 

_'Might as well just go along with it, Miss Navigator.'_

 

"Oh, relax, Nami!" Mr. Cook told her. "Wild animals are afraid of fire! They'll stay away!!"

 

"KYAAAAAAAAAAA!! BEHIND YOU!!!"

 

   Mr. Cook turned around and saw a pack of wolves behind him and Mr. Swordsman. Unsurprisingly, they weren't happy to see us. Mr Doctor was kind enough to translate what the pack leader was saying to us:

 

"You guys are being so loud, we can't even hunt! Why don't you dumb-ass two-leggers go to hell and sleep already?!"

 

_'Harsh....'_

 

"WHO'S A DUMBASS?!" Mr. Captain and Mr. Cook questioned.

 

"I didn't say it!" Mr. Doctor complained. "It was the wolf!"

 

Miss Navigator stepped in and hit the leader on the head, saying, "Nothing's keeping me from that treasure!"

 

_'Determined girl.'_

 

   At first, it looked like we were all about to be mauled to death until we learned that the pack leader actually likes tough girls, thus gaining his respect.

 

   I could've sworn that Mr. Captain looked ready to tear that wolf's head off. Wow...and I thought Miss Navigator was crazy jealous...I think I'm starting to understand why those two are together...

 

Anyway, since everything was settled, we decided to have a little campfire party.

 

   I sat on the sidelines and watched everyone have fun with the wolves. I would join them, but...I've never really been good at having fun with others...aside from with my teachers and with Saul...

 

*sigh*

 

Oh, well. At that moment, Gan Fall woke up.

 

"I'm surprise you're all getting along so well with the Cloud Wolves," he remarked. "I know of no one else who would cause such a ruckus on Eneru's land."

 

"Really?" I asked.

 

He nodded his head.

 

"Hey! Thanks for all your help Sky Knight guy! Let's dance!"

 

"Yeah, dance with us, Gan Fall!"

 

"Luffy, Chopper, have you two been drinking?!"

 

"Ah, leave us alone, Zoro!"

 

"All right, who gave Luffy alcohol?!" Miss Navigator asked in anger.

 

"Don't look at me!" Long Nose said. "I had nothing to do with it!"

 

I couldn't help but giggle at all of this.

 

   Then, Gan Fall explained to me that when this half of Jaya appeared in Skypiea, it was like a miracle to the people. They decided to call it "Vearth". Why they gave it that name, I don't think I'll ever know. Again, this country's a strange one. Oh, well.

 

   Eventually, everyone began to settle down until we fell asleep. We'd be needing our rest too, if we're going to find the City of Gold.

 

Until then, sweet dreams.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

*sigh*

 

   Great...just great. That giant shrimp took us in the middle of this freaking jungle and stuck us on top of some pillar! Meanwhile, Nami is biting my head off!

 

"FOR PETE'S SAKE, WOMAN!!! GET OFF MY BACK ALREADY!!!"

 

"I can't believe you, Zoro!!! How can you not believe in Ceiling Cat, Basement Cat, and Couch Cat?! YOU'RE A FREAKIN' CAT, YOURSELF!!!"

 

"FOR THE LAST TIME, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!!!"

 

Jeez, freakin' money grubbin', boot-wearing Scaredy-Cat.

 

"I HEARD THAT!!!"

 

"OUT!!!"

 

Now, where was I? Oh, yeah.

 

   We're also surrounded by Sky Sharks. Did I forget to mention that? I guess I did. I thought that maybe, since I had my goggles on, I could fight them off...but even with my goggles, I could barely see a thing in that cloud water! I'm really starting to hate Skypiea! I was lucky to get outta there without a scratch on me! I killed one of the Sky Sharks, though, at least.

 

   Next, we had to get to the other side of the pillar that Merry was on. Looks like we'd have to do a bit of swinging. No problem. Made it there while yelling like Tarzan. Robin made it next, although she didn't do the yell, not that I'm complaining. It would've sounded weird...

 

   Moving on. After Robin made it, it was Nami's turn. Man, I can't believe how much of a wimp she is. Almost as much as Usopp, if not just as wimpy.

 

"Be careful!" Robin called. "If you fall in, you'll surely die."

 

"STILL NOT HELPING!!!" she shouted back.

 

_'Good grief.'_

 

   After she tells Chopper to watch over the ship while we're gone, she finally swings over.  She was screaming the whole way, too. Almost hit a tree, however Robin caught her, which is good because we do not need another George of the Jungle.

 

"George, George, George of the Jungle! Watch out for that tree! Shishishishishi!"

 

"Not funny, Luffy! I nearly had a faceplant!"

 

"YOU TWO!!! GET OUT OF HERE!!!"

 

All right, back to the story. Robin saves Nami's ass, saying how she's not totally gutless.

 

"AAAAAAUUUUUUUUHH, is what you should've done," I told her.

 

"OH, SHUT UP, ZORO!!" she snapped.

 

   Anyway, we did a bit of exploring; man, was this jungle deep. Although, something about it seemed to make me feel at home. Probably because I'm a tiger and all. That, and you'd think that a Sky Island would have any soil, yet here it is. You won't believe what we found next. It was half of Old Man Cricket's house...only it looked really old. That's when we discovered that Upper Yard was the missing half of Jaya. It must've got shot up here by the Knock-Up Stream.

 

...Ugh...why do they have to call it a "Knock-Up" Stream? Does anyone realize how perverted that sounds?!

 

(A/N: I know, right?)

 

*sigh*

 

Oh, well.

 

Suddenly, we hear this whistling sound.

 

   Wait...didn't that Old Sky Knight guy say that we should blow that whistle if we need his help? Chopper's the only one that has the whistle, so...

 

_'Oh, crap.'_

 

   As I was about to unsheathe my swords, it turns out that it was only a bunch of South Birds...Giant South Birds. Nami was a bit freaked out by them, not surprising.

 

"Hey! It's not my fault! They're as big as a house!!"

 

"They're not THAT big! Get a grip!"

 

Freakin' Scaredy Cat. What the hell does Luffy see in her? One of these days, I have to ask him myself.

 

Anyhoo, I didn't trust those birds. Look at 'em. Thinking they're better than me.

 

*growls*

 

"Jeez, Zoro! They're just birds!"

 

"Put a cork in it, Luffy!"

 

"Wait, so does that mean that you don't like Robin, either?"

  


  


(A/N: Chopper's asking him this, btw.)

 

"NO!!! I DO LIKE ROBIN!!! I JUST HATE SOUTH BIRDS!!!"

 

"Did he just say he liked Robin-chan?!"

 

"GET OUT OF HERE, COOK!!!"

 

"Is it true? Do you really like me?"

 

"Uhhh..."

 

(A/N: Okay, folks. This is gonna take a while, so to compensate, here's a vid with puppies and kittens.

 

*shows a vid with puppies and kittens*

 

Okay, now back to the story!)

 

*ahem!*

 

Moving on...

 

   We made it back to the ship...only...She was attacked! AGAIN!!! Dammit! Is there a bad omen on our ship or something?! Chopper told us everything; he said some guy riding a fire-breathing bird came. The Sky Knight guy tried to help and he ended up getting hurt pretty bad. As it turns out, they were rescued by the South Birds. Why, I don't know. As the Merry is now, we won't be going anywhere any time soon. We might as well just stay put until Luffy decides to show up...which took about until sundown. They arrived on some weird-looking boat that resembled a crow. Odd...then again, it doesn't really surprise me; Luffy took out the Sky Sharks, by the way...and, also unsurprisingly, he ate one.

 

_'Glutton.'_

 

Anyway, we decided to set up camp and discuss our plan for tomorrow.

 

"Now then, does anyone remember what Noland's log said about the City of Gold?" Nami asked.

 

"Ooh! Ooh! Nami, I know!" Luffy exclaimed, eagerly. "It's a City of Gold!"

 

"YOU'RE SUCH A DUMBASS! DO YOU EVER THINK BEFORE YOU TALK?!" Usopp shouted.

 

Can't argue with him on that.

 

"Uh...I think he said something South Birds and a giant gold bell," the Cook answered. "Of course, there could be a lot more."

 

Tch! Of course there is, stupid cook.

 

"The last thing he said before he died was something odd," Robin spoke up. "It said 'The City of Gold is in the skull's right eye.'"

 

"That's it!" Nami responded.

 

   Finally. Thank goodness Robin figured it out, because the rest of these idiots won't. Next, Nami merged the two maps of Upper Yard and Jaya, and it formed a skull. Our next destination was the right eye of Upper Yard; that's where the City of Gold is supposed to be. Though, we were gonna head on over there in the morning. It was getting late. Luffy insisted on leaving the campfire going. So, the Cook and I left to bring back more firewood and we brought back a whole truckload.

 

"Hey, Luffy! This enough wood for your little bonfire?"

 

"ZORO!!! SANJI!!! NOT YOU TOO!!!" Nami shouts.

 

_'The hell's her problem?'_

 

"Oh, relax, Nami!" the Cook says. "Wild animals are afraid of fire! They'll stay away!"

 

   Uh...should I tell him there's a bunch of glowing yellow eyes behind him? Or should I just let him get mauled to death by whatever's there?

 

"KYAAAAAAAAAAA!! BEHIND YOU!!!"

 

   Can you imagine our luck when we were surrounded by a pack of wolves? I'm starting to think we're cursed, or something. Then, after Nami hits the leader, we suddenly ended up gaining their respect.

 

   Well, that's survival of the fittest for you. Luffy looked about ready to kill the leader...damn, I've never seen him so jealous. Maybe him and Nami do make a good couple...

 

"Ha! He admits it!"

 

"I thought I said to put a cork in it, Luffy!"

 

Goddamn monkey...

 

   Anyway, after that, we decided to have a little party. Turns out these wolves aren't too bad; even had a drink with one of them. Nami got a little drunk. Amateur.

 

"What did you say?!"

 

"You heard me!"

 

*CHOMP!!!*

 

"OW!!! DAMMIT WOMAN, MY TAIL!!!"

 

"That's for calling me an amateur!"

 

*Grrrrr...!*

 

*hisses*

 

*ahem*

 

   Anyway...During all the partying, that Sky Knight woke up. Said he didn't think we would get along with the Sky Wolves. Then, Luffy and Chopper got drunk...Nami was not happy. Tch! As if she's one to talk. Moving on, the Sky Knight said something about the soil here in Upper Yard being precious. He called it "Vearth." I wonder what that meant. Ah, well, no matter.

 

After the party, everyone decided to turn in for the night. Tomorrow, we start our search for the City of Gold. G'night!

 

*snores*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked.


	9. Part IX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _From each of the POVs. Zoro's and Robin's growing relationship. Takes place pre-timeskip, obviously._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part IX**

 

(I don't own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda is the sole owner of this amazing series.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Good morning.

 

We're all set for the treasure hunt today. I'm actually really excited.

 

"I'm excited, too!"

 

"Yes, yes, Captain. I know."

 

Sweet thing, isn't he? Miss Navigator's lucky to have him.

 

"Yeah! Nami sure is lucky to have me! Shishishishi!"

 

"All right, all right. I need to get back to the story now, okay, sweetheart?"

 

"Okay!"

 

Like I said, sweet thing.

 

   So, as we're getting ready to go treasure-hunting, we noticed someone had taken off the wings and comb off the Going Merry. Not only that, but someone also made some repairs to her, and Long Nose was saying that he saw a ghost last night on the ship.

 

"I swear, I did!"

 

"Sure you did, Usopp, and I suck my thumb in my sleep."

 

"Wait, you suck your thumb, Zoro?"

 

"I'm being sarcastic, you damn monkey!"

 

*giggles*

 

   Anyway, after we got the ship off the sacrificial altar (thanks to Long Nose's plan to use poor Mr. Doctor as bait for Sky Sharks), we went on our way.

 

   I was with Mr. Captain, Mr. Doctor, and Mr. Swordsman. We were heading East, where the City of Gold is supposed to be lying in wait. Though, on our way, Mr. Swordsman got lost.

 

*sighs*

 

How can someone as good a fighter as he is have no sense of direction? I really do pity him.

 

"HEY, I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY!!!"

 

"Aww, what's wrong, Moss-head? Baby want his bottle?"

 

"SHADDUP, COOK!!"

 

Okay...moving on.

 

   Eventually, I end up getting separated from Mr. Captain and Mr. Doctor. Why? Because a giant snake was chasing us. I managed to escape, although I am worried about Mr. Captain and Mr. Doctor. I hope they're not being digested in the belly of that snake. If so, then I will miss them.

 

So, I managed to get to where the City of Gold is supposed to be, only...I didn't find it.

 

   However, I did find something that's just as good...to me at least. I found ruins. Not just any ruins. These were the ruins to the Shandian City. I went inside and I discovered some poneglyphs written in the wall. They had some interesting facts. It actually told of Shandia's history. As I read the poneglyphs, I learned that this was actually the real City of Gold...only...the gold was gone.

 

Honestly, I didn't care. To find this piece of history...it was like a treasure to me!

 

(A/N: Aww. ^^)

 

   I am an archaeologist, after all. Be that as it may, someone was going to learn a very harsh lesson in what happens when you mess with history as precious as this.

 

(A/N: CHA! THAT'S RIGHT, BABY!!!)

 

He said that they were nothing more than old stone and that no one would care if they were destroyed.

 

Humph. Fat tub of lard.

 

(A/N: I would've gone for "fatass", but that's good, too. ^^)

 

Fighting him was more of a hassle than I thought it would be...nevertheless, I managed to take care of him.

 

**"CLUTCH!!!"**

 

I snapped his back in half. I picked up my hat and said, "Well, that was certainly unpleasant."

 

(A/N: Mm-hmm.)

 

Now, back to the ruins.

 

   Later on, I meet up with the God of this island, Eneru. Zoro appeared, too. He wanted us to play his game, yet we all refused to do so. I even tried fooling the God, though he saw right through my ruse and electrocuted me...

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

*yawns*

 

Sorry about that. Usopp woke me up in the middle of the night because he wanted me to go with him to take him to the bathroom.

 

What a baby.

 

Not only that, he also went on about how he saw a ghost.

 

"I DID see a ghost!"

 

"Right, and I'm Tony the Cereal Tiger!"

 

(A/N: I'm sorry! I had to do it! XD)

 

"You are?!"

 

"Luffy, how many times do I have to tell you to PUT A FRIGGIN' SOCK IN IT?!?"

 

"AAAH!! NAMI, ZORO'S PICKING ON ME, AGAIN!!!"

 

"YOU'RE A DEAD MAN, STRIPES!!!"

 

"AH, CRAP!!!"

 

(A/N: PLEASE STAND BY...AND WATCH AS ZORO GETS PUMMELED TO DEATH.

 

*STANDBY*

 

Okay, we can get back.)

 

Ow...crazy cat...

 

   Anyhoo, there was something different about Merry. The wings, comb, and tail feathers were taken off, and it looked like someone fixed her. So much better than Usopp's repairs.

 

"HEY!"

 

"Just being honest!"

 

Damn. Touchy.

 

So, we managed to get Merry off of the sacrificial altar. How do we do this, you ask?

 

Usopp used poor Chopper as bait for the Sky Sharks.

 

"Seriously, Usopp. You are one sick, twisted ferret."

 

(A/N: He sure is.)

 

"Oh, relax! They didn't eat him!"

 

"So?! The little guy practically soiled himself!"

 

"Sky Sharks are scary...Sky Sharks are scary...Sky Sharks are scary...!"

 

"See!"

 

"Oh, Chopper, you poor thing! Here! Come give me a hug!"

 

"Thank you, Nami..."

 

*ahem*

 

   Anyway...Luffy, Robin, Chopper, and I headed East. That's where we're supposed to find the City of Gold. For some reason, I end up losing Robin, Luffy, and Chopper! Another thing, this damn giant South Bird kept following me!

 

What does it want with me?!

 

I'm not giving that stupid bird my food! Greedy buzzards.

 

   Then, the next thing I know, I end up in some place filled with strings. That, and some guy riding on a giant dog showed up. Wait...a giant dog?

 

What the hell is a giant dog doing here?!

 

Okay, let's run down the list of crazy things that I've witnessed since coming to Skypiea:

 

A sea of clouds. Check.

 

A psycho in a mask. Check.

 

A bird that can turn into a Pegasus (an ugly one). Check.

 

The people here say "bellybutton" as a form of greeting. Check.

 

They have weird seashells here that can do all sorts of things, like record your voice. Check.

 

We meet the White Berets. Check.

 

Got carried off by a giant shrimp. Check.

 

"Dude, it was a lobster."

 

"SHUT UP!!"

 

Moving on. Fought for my life against Sky Sharks. Check.

 

Found out the island is the other half of Jaya. Check.

 

Found a flock of Giant South Birds. Check.

 

Met a pack of Sky Wolves. Check.

 

Partied with said pack of Sky Wolves. Check.

 

Merry was miraculously repaired. Check.

 

Usopp uses Chopper as bait. Check.

 

"I told you, THEY DIDN'T EAT HIM!!"

 

"YOU STILL TRAUMATIZED THE POOR KID!!!"

 

"Sky Sharks scary...!"

 

"There, there, sweetie."

 

Moving on, once again.

 

I get separated from the others. Check.

 

"Can't you just admit you got lost, Moss-head?"

 

"I WAS NOT LOST!!!"

 

"Dude, you were totally lost!"

 

*growls*

 

Wait...I just thought of an idea to get rid of this guy for a while.

 

"Hey, look over there! It's Vivi, wearing a fuzzy bikini!"

 

"WHAT?! WHERE?!!"

 

Hehehe, sucker. Back to the list:

 

An annoying giant South Bird kept following me, carried me off to god-knows-where, and dropped me off. Check.

 

Last, but not least, a giant freaking dog. Check. Actually, make that a double-check.

 

Seriously, what is UP with this place?! That, and the dude who owns this dog was going on about, "8 people and 4 animals."

 

What the hell's that supposed to mean?

 

At first, I didn't think nothing of it...until I saw Chopper covered in blood--

 

...Wait.

 

"CHOPPER!!!"

 

HOW THE HELL DID HE GET THAT WAY!?

 

I ran over to him and tried to wake him up, yet he just wouldn't!

 

   Okay, this either means two things: he's unconscious or he's dead. I was really hoping that he wasn't the latter. That's when I realized that bald guy had something to do with this.

 

   Wouldn't you know it? He did! He cut Chopper up with this weird sword of his! Gave me a hard time while fighting him and his dog and then that guerilla guy from before shows up and complicates things, too! I don't have time for this shit, man! I do not see how things could get any worse!

 

...No wait, scratch that. It got worse. A giant snake just now showed up!

 

I had to open my mouth! Seriously! What the hell is wrong with me?! Am I cursed or something?!

 

"That's what you get for blaspheming."

 

"SHUT IT, NAMI!!"

 

I still don't believe in those damn cats and I never will!

 

   So, eventually, I managed to beat that bald guy with my newest move: the 360 Caliber Phoenix. Anyhoo, I take my sword out of my mouth, saying, "Huh. That's weird."

 

Then the next thing I know, the dog tries to come at me!

 

"NO!" I shout.

 

Then...he sits down.

 

"Huh?"

 

Turns out that this stupid mutt doesn't listen to just his master. He'll listen to anyone!

 

"You mean this dog obeys anyone?!" I yelled.

 

The mutt barked as a way of saying yes. I take off my bandanna, sighing, "In that case, knock yourself unconscious."

 

He did just that. That was easy.

 

   Now if only Chopper would wake up. Poor kid. I seriously hope he's just unconscious. So, eventually, I found Robin...only it looked like someone found her first. It was some weird-looking guy with the longest earlobes I've ever seen in my life. He called himself Eneru and even said that he was God.

 

Tch! I still don't believe in no damn God.

 

   He wanted us to play his game and we all refused and apparently, Robin was trying to say something to him...and whatever it was, he didn't like it. Bastard even electrocuted her and right in her head, too! That could've killed her! Glad I caught her in time!

 

Still...I was pissed. I glared at Eneru.

 

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I asked.

 

   I was ready to slice him to pieces. Then...my sword went right through, and not because I cut him. The man ate a Devil Fruit...a Logia type...and it was a lightning power. Before I knew it...I got shocked, too.

 

(A/N: All right, y'all. Since Zoro's gonna be out for a while, we're gonna end part IX right here.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, sorry to end Part IX on such a...graphic note.
> 
>  
> 
> Still, I hope you all enjoyed reading this.


	10. Part X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From each of the POVs. Zoro's and Robin's growing relationship. Takes place pre-timeskip, obviously.

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part X**

 

(I do not own One Piece. This cool series belongs to Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Well...that was certainly a shock. No pun intended.

 

The first thing I hear when I wake up is the sound of a bell ringing. A very large bell, too. I wondered where the sound was coming from.

 

_'Could it be...the Golden Bell?'_ I thought.

 

I looked up and saw that it was. I smiled. It looked like our Captain had defeated the so-called god. Everyone rejoiced.

 

The war was finally over.

 

   Unfortunately, there were many fatal casualties. Luckily, we survived. I wish I could say the same about Conis' father. That poor man. My heart aches for Conis--

 

"Yes...poor Conis. What will she do without me?"

 

"Yeah, what's Conis gonna do without--HEY, WAIT A SECOND! YOU'RE ALIVE?!"

 

"Oh, my!"

 

...Okay, I'm very confused.

 

The others shout, "HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!!! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!!!"

 

Oh, well.

 

*chuckles*

 

So, after that, we all celebrate. Mr. Captain and Long Nose certainly did eat a lot.

 

"Aahhh...boy, I stuffed myself!"

 

"Ha! You called that stuffed?! I'm more bloated than you are, Usopp!"

 

He wasn't kidding. They both looked liked blimps. It was adorable, actually. They both looked like a couple of blow fishes with little heads.

 

What was Mr. Swordsman doing?

 

He was having a drinking contest with one of the Shandians.

 

   Miss Navigator was dancing with the toll booth lady and Mr. Cook was dancing with a rather plump woman. He may've been smiling, but deep down, I believe he was crying.

 

*sigh*

 

Poor dear.

 

   Mr. Doctor? Well...he was just having the time of his life, laughing and dancing with the Skypieans and the Shandians. I sat back and watched. Like I said...I'm not all that sociable.

 

The party lasted for four days and four nights.

 

Then, one night...

 

"Psst...hey, Nami! Wake up!"

 

"Ugh...what is it, Luffy? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

 

"Go wake up the others and be quick about it!"

 

"Why?"

 

"Cuz we're gonna steal the gold and make a run for it!"

 

Miss Navigator gasped happily as her eyes turning into berry signs.

 

"Really?!"

 

"Hey! Be quiet, you loudmouth!!!"

 

She punched him after he said that.

 

"Loudmouth, huh?! You're a whole lot louder than me, Luffy!!"

 

"No way! Just listen to yourself! You know what you are, Nami?! LOUD!!"

 

"WHAT?! You're calling ME loud?!! You've got some nerve, you fucking hypocrite, YOU'RE SUPER LOUD!!!"

 

"Oh, yeah?! Well, you're super mega ULTRA loud!!! THAT'S WHY YOU'RE YELLING!!!"

 

They're like an old married couple. That, and their bickering was bothering Long Nose...

 

"WILL YOU SHUT UP?! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP OVER HERE!!!"

 

He ended up hitting the poor Doctor.

 

"AGH!!! USOPP!!! WHY DID YOU HIT ME?! THAT REALLY HURT!!!"

 

All of their commotion woke up most of the Skypieans and Shandians.

 

"Hey, Nami-san! Looking good this morning! I mean, evening."

 

To be fair...Miss Navigator was a bit louder than Mr. Captain. Don't tell her I said that.

 

   Anyway, Mr. Captain went over the whole plan with the rest of us. We were going to "steal" the gold from inside the giant snake's stomach. It turns out that's where the gold was this whole time.

 

Hm. What were the odds?

 

   Though, while they were doing that, I had business of my own to attend to. The Shandians allowed me to read their poneglyph. It was put in part of their belfry. So, as I read it, it revealed the whereabouts of another Ancient Weapon: Poseidon.

 

*sigh*

 

Again?

 

However...there was another thing I found: a message...left by Gold Roger.

 

_'He was here...?!'_ I thought. _'I don't believe it!'_

 

The Shandian elder explained of how he knew the former Pirate King. Told me some interesting things, too.

 

   Anyway, after that, I met up with the others. For some reason, Mr. Swordsman, Mr. Captain, Mr. Cook, Mr. Doctor, and Long Nose were fighting.

 

   As I was walking behind me, the Skypieans and the Shandians carried a golden pillar wrapped up in tarp. They wanted to give it to us as a reward for stopping Eneru.

 

For some reason, though, the boys thought it was a cannon. I wanted to tell them the truth, yet they ran before I could say anything.

 

"C'mon, Robin! Get the lead out!!!"

 

"Okay!"

 

"Hey, Zoro! Did you see the way I handled them, back there? Pretty brave, huh?!"

 

"Yeah. Not bad, Usopp."

 

"Robin-chan! Hurry!"

 

"Yes, Mr. Cook!"

 

"Wait!" the Shandians cried. "Come back! Don't leave!!!"

 

   Again, I really wanted to tell them...then again, that giant pillar was too big for our ship, anyway. So, we left. Conis and her father led us to the exit. That was very sweet of them to do so.

 

"Enjoy the freefall!" Conis said.

 

"...Freefall?"

 

   We actually fell off the edge of the island. Everyone else was pretty terrified...and I don't blame them. Luckily, Conis called a giant octopus that turned into a giant hot air balloon, which caught us and allowed to float down, safely. I really enjoyed the ride down. The Captain liked the ride, too. He was jumping up and down on the octopus. Miss Navigator wasn't too pleased with him doing so...

 

"Luffy! Get down from there!!!"

 

"But this is so much fun!"

 

"I said get down! NOW!!!"

 

"YES, MA'AM!!!"

 

   He quickly came down from the octopus' head. Meanwhile, Mr. Swordsman and I decided to have a moment alone. It went along the lines of this:

 

"Thank you...for saving me." I tell him.

 

"Don't mention it." he replied.

 

"But I have to ask...why did you save me? I thought you didn't trust me."

 

"I don't."

 

"Then, why save me if you don't trust me?"

 

He looked at me.

 

"Well..."

 

"Well, what?"

 

"...Forget it."

 

"What is it?"

 

"It's nothing, Robin. Don't worry about it."

 

*sigh*

 

I wish he'd tell me...

 

Oh, well...it probably didn't matter anyway. Nothing left to do, other than to look forward to our next adventure.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   What's with all the damn ringing? I was having a perfectly good nap. Turns out it was Luffy and he kicked that "god"'s ass. Good for him. Bastard had it coming for electrocuting Robin.

 

"Aw, you really do care about her!"

 

"SHUT UP, LUFFY!!"

 

***BAP!***

 

"OW!!! DABI, THOWO BUNGED BE IN DE DOSE!!!"

 

(Translation: "OW! NAMI, ZORO PUNCHED ME IN THE NOSE!!")

 

"HE DID WHAT?!"

 

"AW, S***!!!"

 

"ZORO~!!! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!"

 

(A/N: We interrupt this POV for this special vid of cute puppies!

 

Please ignore the sound of Zoro screaming in agony! Just enjoy watching these cute little puppies!

 

*shows clip of little puppies*

 

Aren't they cute!?

 

Oh, look! Zoro's back! On with the story!)

 

.....Ow.....I think she busted out five of my teeth. Damn, she's strong...!

 

Anyhoo, there were a lot casualties and Conis' father was one of them.

 

"Poor old man..."

 

He did not deserve to di--

 

"Uh, Zoro? He's alive."

 

"WHAT?!"

 

You've gotta be shitting me!

 

"HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!!! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!!!" we all shout.

 

*ahem*

 

   Anyway...we all decided to throw a party and boy, was it a crazy one. Luffy and Usopp stuffed themselves on food; Nami was dancing with that old toll booth lady and the cook was dancing with a fat lady. He may have been grinning, but I knew he was crying like a baby on the inside.

 

*chuckles*

 

   Oh, this day could not get any better. Wait, scratch that. I had a drinking contest with one of the Shandians and won. THAT made my day better.

 

Chopper was dancing around with the Skypieans and the Shandians. Nice to see the little guy having fun.

 

Robin only sat back and watched. Not very sociable, is she?

 

I wonder why...

 

Anyway, we partied for 4 days straight and then, one night, Luffy decided to wake Nami up. It went along the lines of this:

 

"Psst...hey, Nami! Wake up!"

 

"Ugh...what is it, Luffy? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

 

"Go wake up the others, and be quick about it!"

 

"Why?"

 

"Cuz we're gonna steal the gold and make a run for it!"

 

3...2...1...

 

I could practically hear Nami's eyes turning into berry signs.

 

"Really?!"

 

Then, Luffy says, "Hey! Be quiet, you loudmouth!!!"

 

Next, Nami hits Luffy.

 

"Loudmouth, huh?! You're a whole lot louder than me, Luffy!!"

 

Oh, here we go.

 

"No way! Just listen to yourself! You know what you are, Nami?! LOUD!!"

 

"WHAT?! You're calling ME loud?!! You've got some nerve, you fucking hypocrite, YOU'RE SUPER LOUD!!!"

 

"Oh, yeah?! Well you're super mega ULTRA loud!! THAT'S WHY YOU'RE YELLING!!!"

 

I swear, they're like an old married couple...

 

(A/N: Yes, indeed, Zoro.)

 

"WILL YOU SHUT UP?! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP OVER HERE!!!"

 

Yeah, Usopp wasn't too happy about their bickering...he even hit poor Chopper!

 

"USOPP!!! WHY DID YOU HIT ME?! THAT REALLY HURT!!!"

 

"Hey, Nami-san! Looking good this morning! I mean, evening."

 

   All their commotion woke up most of the Shandians and the Skypieans. Oh, and don't tell Nami I said this, but she was louder than Luffy. Just saying.

 

   Anyway, morning came 'round, and I decided to work on my training while the others went get to get the gold. Robin went off on her own for some reason.

 

Oh, and Usopp? Well, he was getting himself some dials from the Skypieans.

 

Fooled them into thinking he used a rubber band to defeat Eneru. Those poor saps.

 

"So, where are the others, Zoro?" Usopp asks.

 

"Inside that snake," I told him.

 

   That's right. They're looking for gold inside the giant snake that ate them earlier. They're lucky that it's sleeping right now. Seriously, that snake is crazy!

 

"Who? This well-mannered snake?"

 

"Usopp, you didn't even see it when it was rampaging."

 

"Who? This well-mannered snake?"

 

I didn't really get it, at first...then I realized he was using a freaking Tone Dial! That jerk!!

 

"HA HA! FOOLED YOU!!!"

 

"DAMN YOU, USOPP!! I'LL BREAK THAT NOSE OF YOURS IN TWO!!!"

 

Freakin' ferret!

 

   Anyway, later on, we've pretty much gathered as much gold as we can carry. Nami was already at the ship, so all we had to do was wait for Robin.

 

"C'mon, Robin~!" Luffy whined. "What's keeping you? We can't forever!"

 

***Guuurrrrrrggh...uuuurrrrrggh...rrrrr...***

 

"What the hell was that?" I asked.

 

"My stomach." Luffy answered. "I'm starving! Hey, Sanji got any snacks?"

 

"No."

 

"Ah, c'mon! You gotta have something!"

 

"I've got nothing to give!"

 

I sighed in boredom.

 

"I'm not standing around here waiting," I spoke up. "I'm heading to the ship."

 

Then, the others get in my face.

 

"MORON!!!"

 

"JERK!!!"

 

"MOSS-HEAD!!!"

 

"STUPID HEAD!!!"

 

_'...That does it.'_

 

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING A STUPID HEAD, HUH?!"

 

   Then, we get into a fight and Chopper was already knocked out. The cook and I were throwing punches at each other. Luffy, for some messed-up reason, started punching Usopp. Don't ask me why.

 

   Anyway, Robin finally showed up and we stop fighting. For some reason, the Skypieans and the Shandians were following behind her and were carrying a...

 

"HOLY SHIT!!! IS THAT A CANNON?!"

 

Usopp was screaming his head off.

 

"Robin! Get the lead out!!! We gotta go back to the ship, now!!!"

 

"Okay!" she replied.

 

   So we grabbed the loot and high-tailed it back to the ship! Glad we did, too. I knew the Shandians would be pissed off at us, but I didn't think they'd shoot us with a cannon! I mean, seriously! You'd think that with the war over, they'd be more peaceful! The universe just _loves_ proving me wrong, doesn't it?

 

(A/N: Guess where I got that one from. XD)

 

Anyway, we managed to get back in one piece. That, and we all exited the island with Conis and her old man's help.

 

"Enjoy the freefall!"

 

Wait...what?

 

"Freefall?"

 

Nothing could have prepped us for what was coming...we ended up falling right off the edge of the island! I thought we were all gonna die!

 

   Luckily, we had a bit of help! Conis called a giant octopus to come and carry our ship. It turned into a giant balloon. Luffy decided to bounce on it's head and Nami...well, here's how it went:

 

"Luffy! Get down from there!!"

 

"But this is so much fun!"

 

"I said get down! NOW!!!"

 

"YES, MA'AM!!!"

 

Heh. Whipped.

 

"I am NOT whipped!"

 

"Oh, yeah. Sure you're not."

 

"Cut the sarcasm!"

 

Anyway...Robin and I decided to have a moment alone.

 

"Ooh~!"

 

"SHUT UP, LUFFY!!"

 

"This calls for some musical accompaniment!"

 

"Usopp, don't you dare!"

 

"Too late!"

 

"AW, DAMMIT!!!"

 

Usopp (singing): _"There, you see her_  
                        Sitting there across the way.  
                        She don't got a lot to say,  
                        But there's something about he _~_ _r_  
                        And you don't know why  
                        But you're dying to try,  
                        You wanna kiss the girl~!"

 

"SHUT THE HELL UP, USOPP!!!"

 

Usopp and Luffy (singing): _"Yes, you want her._  
                                     Look at her, ya know ya do.  
                                     It's possible she wants you, too,  
                                     There is one way to ask he _~_ _r._  
                                     Ya don't say a word,  
                                     Not a single word,  
                                     Go on and kiss the girl!"

 

Usopp: _"Sing with me now."_

 

"SONUVABITCH!!!"

 

Usopp and Luffy (singing): _"Sha-la-la-la-la-la,_  
                                     My, oh my! Look like the boy too shy!  
                                     Ain't gonna kiss the gi _rl!"_

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!"

 

Usopp and Luffy (singing): _"Sha-la-la-la-la-la,_  
                                     Ain't that sad?  
                                     Ain't it a shame, too bad,  
                                     He gonna miss the gi _rl!"_

 

"IF YOU TWO DON'T CLAM IT, I'M GONNA CHOP YOU INTO MINCEMEAT!!!"

 

"AH! OKAY, WE'LL SHUT UP!!!"

 

"GOOD!!!"

 

Freakin' Ferret and Monkey...why don't they mind their own business!?

 

Anyway, Robin and I have a talk alone. She thanks me for saving her, which I tell her, "Don't mention it."

 

She asked me, "Why did you save me? I thought you didn't trust me."

 

"I don't."

 

"Then, why save me if you don't trust me?"

 

I looked at her.

 

"Well..."

 

"Well, what?"

 

"...Forget it."

 

"What is it?"

 

"It's nothing, Robin. Don't worry about it."

 

I couldn't tell her why I saved her...because to be honest, I don't really understand it, either.

 

   Maybe I just did it because I thought Luffy would be anger if I didn't. After all, he's my captain (as much as I hate to admit it) and I know that when you're in this crew, we stick together no matter what the circumstances are.

 

Either way...I guess I'm just...conflicted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed. ^^


	11. Part XI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _As you are all aware, this is from each of the POVs. Zoro's and Robin's growing relationship. Takes place pre-timeskip, obviously._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XI**

 

(I do not, nor will I ever, own One Piece. This insane series belongs to the wacky Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Hello, again. Glad to hear from me? If so, then that's good.

 

   We had just left the Sky Island and we're back in the Grand Line. Of course, no sooner do we land, we are chased by a trio of sea monkeys. Giant Sea Monkeys, might I add. This is a very strange sea...then again, I've seen stranger things in Skypiea.

 

We managed to get away, but as we did, we found another ship...only...how shall I put this?

 

They seemed very dejected. Not just that, but their ship had been stripped of its flag and sails. It was very depressing...

 

"I'll say it is! Their ship is naked!!"

 

"Hush now, Mr. Captain."

 

"Yes, Robin."

 

"Good boy."

 

All right, back to the aforementioned ship. By the time the pirates noticed us, they tried to ambush us.

 

Keywords being "tried to".

 

   Of course, not longer after, the sea monkeys show up again and they were heading straight for that pirate crew. We wanted to help, though it looked like they were too preoccupied with themselves...so we left them to their fate.

 

Apart of me still feels guilty for not helping them.

 

*ahem*

 

   Anyway...we make it to another island and it looked uninhabited. Mr. Captain, Long Nose, and Mr. Doctor decided to go and explore the island. The rest of us, myself included, decided to do some exploring of our own.

 

   However, before doing so, I noticed something odd. There was a nearby fog and I saw what resembled a ship sailing through it. It couldn't have been the same ship we saw earlier. This one was different and it looked more like a fox. Again, I've seen stranger things.

 

"Hey, Robin!"

 

I look down at the others.

 

"Are you coming or what?"

 

"Oh! Y-yes, I'm coming."

 

   I went with the others to survey the island, though that feeling I had didn't go away. What was that ship doing there? We were about to find out, soon enough.

 

As we looked around...a giant pair of fox paws appear and trap our ship, Merry!

 

"What the hell?!"

 

"What's going on?!"

 

Behind Merry is a large ship with a fox figurehead.

 

_'I wonder what they want with us.'_

 

   Soon, a couple pirates appeared and they all wore masks. They all looked like foxes. Evidently, they are the Foxy Pirates. I wondered what they wanted with us.

 

Turns out that they wanted to challenge us to a duel. Or rather, a Davy Back Fight.

 

   I've heard many tales of this fight. Pirates bet all or nothing in these kinds of games. When one crew wins, another crew has to give up a member to the winning team...or worse yet, they could take their flag. Miss Navigator wasn't too happy about this.

 

"You're damn right, I wasn't!! WHAT IF I HAD TO JOIN THOSE WEIRDOS?!"

 

"Or Robin! Zoro would be really depressed if she left!"

 

"He would?"

 

"W-w-well, I...err...that is to say...!"

 

"What he means to say is yes, Robin."

 

"NAMI, SHUT UP!!!"

 

"Don't you talk to Nami-san that way!"

 

"Stay out of this, cook!"

 

"Oh, dear..."

 

*Nami punches both Zoro and Sanji*

 

"QUIET!!"

 

"Thank you."

 

"No problem, Robin!"

 

   Now, then, where was I? Oh, yes, the Davy Back fight. Apparently, the Foxy Pirates appeared to be real pros at this...and when it comes to a Davy Back Fight, their Captain, Foxy the Silver Fox, plays for keeps. That, and they cheat, too.

 

We already lost Chopper to one game: the Donut Race.

 

Poor dear. That girl practically smothered him. It was like watching one of those poor dogs being tortured by their owners!

 

Good thing we won him back in the next game. Oh! We won back this horse that Foxy had taken, too. I believe her name was Shelly.

 

   At any rate, one last game remained: a duel between captains. It was a boxing match and Mr. Captain...well...he had an...interesting hairstyle. He was sporting a very large Afro.

 

"GO GET HIM, LUFFY! SHOW HIM WHAT THE POWER OF THE AFRO CAN DO!!"

 

"I can't believe I'm dating such a dork!"

 

"SO FUNKY~!!! I can feel that jive lightin' a fire in ma soul!"

 

"...Really?"

 

(A/N: Yeah, really.)

 

Who knew Mr. Cook spoke jive...

 

"You see? This is what happens when you leave Luffy alone with Usopp."

 

"Couldn't he try to show some dignity for once?"

 

"I beg your pardon?"

 

*sigh*

 

Nevertheless, against all odds, our Captain managed to win. Long Nose continues to insist that it was Afro that helped him.

 

"Hello~! It did help him! I'm telling ya, the Afro is the Hair of Champions!!"

 

"Yeah, right..."

 

"How is that Afro the 'Hair of Champions'?!"

 

"Nami-san! Never question the greatness that is the Afro!"

 

"Seriously, Sanji? You believe that, too?!"

 

*ahem*

 

   As I was saying, our Captain took quite a beating...but he was all right, nonetheless...not to mention a little relieved. To be honest, so was I. I would hate to be a member of Foxy's crew.

 

So, afterwards, Mr. Captain decided to take Foxy's flag and...well...He gave them a new flag, only...well...how do I put this?

 

"Oh, Robin, you don't need to sugarcoat it! We all know it's hideous!"

 

Okay, yeah.

 

"Hey~!"

 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Captain."

 

   So, after Foxy left, we decided to check on the old man and his horse. He was very grateful to Mr. Captain for getting Shelly back. I was happy for them...but at the same time...I felt uneasy...

 

Soon...I saw why.

 

Suddenly, we hear someone snoring behind the old man's house. We go over to investigate and...

 

*gasp*

 

 _'Oh, no...not him...! Anyone but him!'_ I thought. _'Why the hell did it have to be him...?!'_

 

"Robin?" Miss Navigator asked. "You okay?!"

 

I was too frightened to answer...because this man I saw...was possibly from my worst nightmare.

 

It was none other than...Marine Admiral Aokiji.

 

"Well, well...you've grown into a fine woman...Nico Robin," he says.

 

"Hey, Robin, who is this guy?"

 

"Is he giving you trouble?! Lemme kick his ass!"

 

"Don't do it!" I yelled.

 

"Eh?" Mr. Captain asked.

 

"That man is one of the navy's ultimate powerhouses," I explained. "He is...Marine Admiral Aokiji!!"

 

   Everyone was shocked when I told them who he was and I'm not surprised. After all...they don't call him one of the Marines' powerhouses for nothing. I know...I've seen what he can do. Even to this day...I still have nightmares about it!

 

   Anyway, Aokiji made a giant ice bridge for the old man and Shelly to cross. That was...surprisingly kind of him to do so. However, that didn't really change matters.

 

   Afterwards, he sat down...and then he began to explain to the others about how all the other criminal organizations I've been with have all been annihilated...and surely...they would suffer the same fate.

 

They didn't believe him. This is basically what they said:

 

"You're crazy if you think Robin would betray us!"

 

Then, Long Nose says, "Yeah and if we cared about all that, then we wouldn't have an ex-pirate hunter and degenerate thief in our crew!"

 

"Hey!!"

 

"What?! Just being honest, for once!"

 

Normally, I'd laugh, although given the situation...I couldn't even so much as breathe! That's how terrified I was!

 

Anyway, eventually, I had enough of Aokiji's talk. I crossed my wings and I used my devil fruit ability on him.

 

"Treinte Fleur...CLUTCH!!"

 

   I snapped his back...or so I thought. I completely forgot that he ate a devil fruit. The Aokiji I thought had shattered...was a mere clone. You see, he ate the Ice Ice fruit. It allows him to turn everything, even his own body, into ice. He did the same thing to Saul...now, it was my turn...!

 

"I'm not who I--" I tried to say before he froze me.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

Well, here we are again. Back in the Grand Line. Finally. I was getting tired of flying around the whole damn time.

 

"Zoro, are you afraid of heights?!"

 

"What?! Hell no!!"

 

"Okay."

 

   So, anyway, as soon as we get back, we're chased by sea monkeys. Now, I know what you're thinking, _'Sea monkeys? How can a bunch of harmless sea monkeys chase you guys?'_

 

   The thing is...they're not those kind of sea monkeys that you put in a tank of water and watch them grow. Oh, no, no, no. These are the kind of sea monkeys that are the same size as a Sea King! Of course, what would you expect in the Grand Line?!

 

   I was so happy when we escaped those damn primates. Though, not long after we do...we run into this ship that had no sails or a pirate flag. Luffy was saying that it was naked.

 

...where does he come up with this stuff? Seriously, where?

 

   Whatever, that's not important. Those guys decided to attack us and their attempts failed when those giant sea monkeys from earlier showed up. That, and they were completely unorganized. I mean, seriously! They didn't have a captain or a navigator!

 

   Eventually, the sea monkeys got 'em...those poor bastards. Still...that was weird. So, we arrive at another island that looked uninhabited. Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper left to go exploring. The rest of us decided to do the same...then I noticed Robin spacing out.

 

 _'Weird,'_ I thought. _'That's so unlike her.'_

 

I wonder why she just zoned out like that?

 

"Hey, Robin!"

 

That got her attention.

 

"Are you coming or what?"

 

"Oh! Y-yes, I'm coming."

 

   Finally. Anyway, as we're exploring the island, two giant paws suddenly show up outta nowhere and trap our ship! Soon, we see this ship that looks like a giant fox! I haven't seen anything that tacky since Merry was dressed as a freakin' chicken! Oh, and don't let the cook hear this, but even he looks better than that ship.

 

"Is that so, Moss Head?"

 

"DAMMIT, WHY DO I EVEN BOTHER?!"

 

Anyhoo...these dorks wearing masks showed up. Apparently, they're the Foxy pirates and they were here to challenge us to a Davy Back Fight.

 

   Cripes...what a day this is turning out to be. You're probably wondering what a Davy Back fight is. You see, it's a fight between pirates and the winner usually gets a new crewmember or more crewmembers. The crew that loses ends up losing one or more pirates in their crew. Even worse, they could lose their flag.

 

Worst of all, Luffy agreed to it!

 

   We lost Chopper during the first match. That's only because those jerkasses cheated. Then, we won the second game, and Luffy takes back a friggin' horse!

 

WHAT THE HELL, MAN?!

 

"Hey, c'mon! That horse wasn't his to begin with!"

 

"YA COULD'VE WAITED UNTIL AFTER WE GOT CHOPPER BACK!!!"

 

"YEAH, YOU JERK!!!"

 

"I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU, SOMETIMES!!!"

 

"WHEN WE'RE DONE HERE, NO MEAT FOR A WEEK!!"

 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

Tch! Whiner. I blame Nami. She spoils him too damn much! How's he supposed to be King of the Pirates when Nami babies him all the time?!

 

"SCREW YOU, ZORO!!! I'LL BABY HIM HOWEVER AND WHENEVER I WANT!!!"

 

"Yeah! ...Wait a minute."

 

"You are so whipped."

 

"I AM NOT WHIPPED!!!"

 

   Moving on! We do get Chopper back and then, Luffy had to do one more game just to ensure we don't all lose: a one-on-one fight with Foxy. They were gonna box and...aw, jeez. You will NOT BELIEVE what Luffy was wearing. It was one of the biggest afros I've ever seen in my life. Not to mention ridiculous! What is this, a costume party?!

 

"Why am I in love with such a dork?!"

 

"That's what I wanna know. Usopp, what the hell was going on in that head of yours?! And why the hell are you wearing Luffy's hat?!"

 

"He lent it to me. Besides, it wouldn't be able to fit on his afro."

 

*Nami snatches Luffy's hat off of Usopp and puts it on*

 

"No one else can wear Luffy's hat but me! Got it?!"

 

"Yes, ma'am!"

 

"Good!"

 

I learned something interesting that day...the cook knows how to speak jive.

 

"Damn right, I do."

 

"Oh, brother..."

 

   Anyway...Luffy won in the end. I was glad that he did, of course, he collapsed from his injuries. Naturally, we all ran to his side and now that we have Chopper back, his injuries were taken care of in no time.

 

Anyhoo, Luffy took Foxy's flag and gave him a really crappy one.

 

"Hey!"

 

"Luffy, it's the truth! You have the artistic skills of a fucking two-year old! Hell, two-year olds can draw better than you!"

 

"Nami~!"

 

"Luffy, I'm sorry, but I have to agree with Zoro."

 

"HA!!! SUCK IT, MONKEY BOY!!!"

 

*Luffy whimpers*

 

"Oh, no, don't start that...c'mon, cut it out! I mean it!!"

 

*Luffy starts crying like a baby*

 

"Aw, jeez..."

 

"You made him cry, ya dillhole!"

 

"Oh, come off it, Usopp! You know I'm right!"

 

*Nami is currently comforting a crying Luffy*

 

"WHY IS EVERYBODY ALWAYS SO MEAN TO ME~?!!"

 

"I don't know, baby."

 

Moving on...Foxy and his crew decide to leave. Glad we'll never have to deal with those losers again.

 

"Why? Because they won't get Robin?"

 

"Put a sock in it!!"

 

"Well, it's true! Everyone knows that you have a thing for her!"

 

"I do not have a thing for her!"

 

"Oh, really? Then, why did you make out with her in the kitchen?"

 

"She tempted me!"

 

"Sure."

 

"She did! It was a moment of weakness!"

 

"Uh-huh. Right."

 

"Wait, so you don't like Robin after all?"

 

**"WILL ALL OF YOU JUST GET OFF MY FUCKING CASE?!!"**

 

"OKAY, JUST DON'T HURT US!!!"

 

*Zoro seethes*

 

   Okay...now where was I? Oh, right. We go and check with the old timer. I could tell that Robin was feeling uneasy for some reason and wondered why. We were about to find out.

 

   We look behind the old man's house, and we see some guy, standing behind it, fast asleep. The second Robin saw him, she freaked out! Why did she freak out, you ask?

 

Turns out that that sleeping guy's an Admiral. Admiral Aokiji.

 

   Robin described him as one of the Navy's ultimate powerhouses. The other two being Kizaru and...some other guy. Red Rover or something. Whatever, that's not important. What's important is that this jerk is saying that we shouldn't trust Robin!

 

   I don't give a damn if he is an Admiral! He's goin' down! Hell, Usopp even told him, "Yeah and if we cared about all that, then we wouldn't have an ex-pirate hunter and degenerate thief in our crew!"

 

"Hey!!"

 

"No offense, Nami."

 

   Anyhoo, Aokiji even mentioned that he knew Luffy's grandpa and Luffy looked really nervous. I have no idea why. Well, no matter, Robin decided that she's had enough of Aokiji spewing his crap. So, she broke him in half. BROKE him, not SPLIT him! "Broken" and "split" are two different things! Just putting it out there.

 

You'd think he'd be down after she broke him in half, right? **WRONG.**

 

Turns out the Aokiji she broke was an ice clone! Hm. Ice clone...why does that sound so familiar?

 

(A/N: I had to do it. XD)

 

   Anyway, by the time we realized it, he froze Robin in ice! If any one of you guys makes a Frozen joke or any "I was frozen today!" jokes, I'll hunt you down and slice you into mincemeat!

 

   So, anyway, the cook and I tried to fight back and protect Robin, but my arm got frozen, and the cook's leg was frozen, too! Luffy? Well, his arm got frozen, too...and he stayed behind to fight that Admiral bastard, mano e mano!

 

   Usopp had a problem with Luffy's decision, though. Like I even give a shit. The captain's orders are absolute. Whether we like it or not, we have to follow those orders to the letter!

 

   Eventually, the cook and I do go back for him. When we do...we see him, frozen in ice, just like Robin...and Aokiji was gone. We had to defrost him as soon as possible. Robin, too. Dammit...I just hope they'll be all right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are drawing ever closer to Water 7...


	12. Part XII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _As you are all aware, this is from each of the POVs. Zoro's and Robin's growing relationship. Takes place pre-timeskip, obviously._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XII**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This excellent series belongs to the outstanding Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

   Well...that was surely a frightening experience. I was so lucky. Had the others not defrosted me in time, I really would be dead...and so would Mr. Captain.

 

   We had to stay docked at Long Ring Long Land for at least three more days so we both could make a full recovery. Needless to say, everyone else was worried about us.

 

   They were relieved to know that we were still alive. Miss Navigator was especially elated about Mr. Captain being all right. You should've seen her, smothering him with kisses. It was so adorable.

 

"Okay, Nami! You can stop now! I can't BREATHE!!"

 

"Oh, right!" she cried. "Sorry!"

 

*chuckles*

 

Anyway, I thanked Mr. Doctor for taking care of me. He, of course, did his little "Happy dance". Cute little thing.

 

Mr. Cook was also happy and Mr. Swordsman?

 

*sigh*

 

I honestly don't know. I really can't figure him out. Then again, no one can. Anyway, we're all doing our usual routine.

 

   Mr. Cook made some potato paille, Miss Navigator's sitting in a sun chair, relaxing, and Mr. Captain is doing a silly impression of himself being frozen.

 

...Too soon.

 

"What do you mean, too soon?"

 

"Exactly what she means, Luffy."

 

"But, Nami--"

 

"No buts!"

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

As I was saying, as we're sailing, we suddenly see a--

 

"LUFFY, COME QUICK!! THERE'S A FROG DOING THE FRONT CRAWL!!!"

 

Yeah, what Mr. Swordsman said.

 

"Wait, really?"

 

"Oh, c'mon, Luffy! You're not really gonna take what Aokiji said seriously, are you? There's no way a frog can do the front crawl, it's totally-- HOLY CRAP!! THERE'S A FROG DOING THE FRONT CRAWL!!!"

 

   Lo and behold, there was a giant frog doing the front crawl. Just like Aokiji said. Then, Mr. Captain ordered, "AFTER HIM! DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY! TAKE IN THE SAILS! STAND BY THE OARS!!"

 

   Evidently, he wanted to eat the giant amphibian...he doesn't exactly look all that appetizing. Yes, I may be a crane, but even I have standards.

 

The others did as they were told. As we chased the frog...Merry ended up bumping into something. It turned out to be a train.

 

You're all probably wondering the same thing. Why is there a train in the middle of the sea?

 

About that, this is actually a special train called a Sea Train. In fact, this is the only one in the world, and it's called the _Puffing Tom_.

 

   At a nearby Sea Train station, we meet an odd little girl named Chimney, her cat (that is obviously a rabbit), Gonbe, and her grandmother, Kokoro. Kokoro is the Shift Station master...as well as an old drunkard. Poor dear could barely stand up...

 

   Anyway, she points us the way to Water 7. If we were going to get ourselves a new shipwright, that was the place to look. She even gave us a map of the whole city, as well as a letter to give to the mayor, Iceberg.

 

Unfortunately, she didn't do a good job at drawing the map.

 

"Of course she didn't! SHE WAS DRUNK OUTTA HER ASS!!!"

 

"That's what we get for trusting an alcoholic."

 

"Here that, Moss-head?"

 

"I don't drink that much!!!"

 

"Yeah, right."

 

"What?!"

 

   Okay, moving on. We eventually get there and the whole city was amazing. It was an entire city built on the water! Makes you wonder what other marvels lie ahead in the Grand Line.

 

So, anyway, we decided to split up in groups.

 

   Miss Navigator, Mr. Captain, and Long Nose decided to cash in the gold from Skypiea and use it to pay a shipwright to repair the Merry, Mr. Cook left to get groceries, Mr. Swordsman stayed on the ship, and Mr. Doctor and I went off to go book shopping.

 

   On our way to the book shop, Mr. Doctor was a little intimidated by some of the citizens who were wearing masks. I told him it was actually part of the culture here. He wondered how I knew this. I explained to him that I listened in on the conversations going on and he was amazed by how I am able to hear everyone.

 

   Then, we stopped at a bookstore. Mr. Doctor was eager to go in. I was about to follow...until someone in a mask passed me by, saying, "CP9."

 

*gasp*

 

_'CP9...?! Oh, no!!'_

 

By the time I turned around...whoever it was had already disappeared.

 

"Robin!!!" I hear Mr. Doctor call.

 

*gulp*

 

"Robin!" he called, again.

 

I wanted to go to him...but I just couldn't. That masked person mentioned CP9. So...I did the only thing I could do. I followed that person.

 

*sigh*

 

First Aokiji, and now CP9... Why? Why must the ghosts of my past come back to haunt me...and just when I think I've finally found peace.

 

*inhales, then exhales*

 

Well...it looks like it was inevitable.

 

I'm sure that...if things continued on like this, they'd eventually abandon me...just like all the others. Even Mr. Swordsman.

 

*sighs*

 

Oh, well. It's probably for the best.

 

... *sniffles*

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   That was way too close. Luffy and Robin were thawed out, just in time. In order for them to make a full recovery, we had to stay docked at the island for three days. I'm just glad that they're alive. Nami was, too. You should've seen her. She started smothering Luffy with kisses when he first woke up. Poor guy couldn't breathe.

 

Another thing, you would think Nami would give him a little space after he nearly died, right?

 

"Dude, I was really worried about him! What'd you expect?!"

 

"And I didn't mind."

 

*sigh*

 

Anyway...Robin thanks Chopper and he does his little Happy dance. You already know how the Cook reacted.

 

"ROBIN-CHWAN~!!!"

 

...Yup.

 

"Zoro was also happy, too!"

 

"Really, Mr. Doctor?"

 

"Yeah! He--MMMPH!!"

 

*Zoro covers Chopper's mouth*

 

"Pardon us for a minute."

 

"Uh, okay."

 

(A/N: Five-minute intermission.

 

In the meantime, go grab a soda or something.

 

*five minutes later*

 

Okay, back to the story.)

 

Oh, man...that was way too close.

 

"Zoro, how come you just don't wanna say to Robin that you like her?"

 

"BECAUSE I DON'T, LUFFY!! DON'T YOU GET IT?! I DON'T LIKE HER!! I A THOUSAND TIMES NEVER LIKED HER!!! **AND I NEVER WILL!!!** "

 

"Could've fooled me."

 

(A/N: And me.)

 

"OH, GO HAVE NAMI MAKE YOU A BOTTLE, YOU BIG BABY!!!"

 

"TAKE THAT BACK, STRIPES!!!"

 

"MAKE ME, MONKEY BOY!!!"

 

"NAMI~!! ZORO'S CALLING ME A BIG BABY AGAIN!!!"

 

"Roronoa ZORO~!!!"

 

"Ah, hell..."

 

(A/N: Folks, we apologize for all of this.

 

We really do.

 

*the sound of Nami beating the living daylights out of Zoro can be heard, chuckles nervously*

 

Okay, back to the story.)

 

Ow...Anyway, the cook made some potato fries or whatever it's called, and he has the nerve to call me "Mr. Cactus Head"!

 

What? So Moss Head's not good enough, anymore? What a shit-head.

 

Anyhoo, Luffy does an impression of himself when he was frozen...what an idiot. Making fun of how he nearly died.

 

"I know, right?!"

 

"Yes, yes, Nami, I know."

 

Moving on, while we're sailing, I see one of the strangest things in my life...a giant frog doing the front crawl.

 

"LUFFY, COME QUICK!!" I called. "THERE'S A FROG DOING THE FRONT CRAWL!!!"

 

They had to see this to believe it. I could hardly believe it, myself!

 

"Wait, really?"

 

"Oh, c'mon, Luffy! You're not really gonna take what Aokiji said seriously, are you?" Usopp asked. "There's no way a frog can do the front crawl, it's totally-- HOLY CRAP!! THERE'S A FROG DOING THE FRONT CRAWL!!!"

 

Then, Luffy starts ordering us to follow him!

 

Apparently, he just wanted to eat him. I thought Robin would be interested in that. She is a crane.

 

"Okay, I may be a crane, but even I wouldn't eat that frog."

 

"See?! Even Robin won't eat that gross thing!"

 

"Okay, so maybe I was wrong."

 

   Anyway, we go after the frog, and then we bump into something! It was a train...you're all probably wondering what the hell's a train doing in the middle of the ocean?

 

Yeah, the thing is this a special train called a "Sea Train". It's the only one in the world, the _Puffing Tom_. Robin says so.

 

   Anyway, we arrive at a train station and we meet this weird girl named Chimney, her "cat", Gonbe, and her granny, Kokoro. Let me tell ya, that lady was drunk outta her ass.

 

"That's gonna be you in about fifty more years, Moss Head."

 

"QUIET, YOU LOVESICK FOX!!!"

 

   Anyhow, the old woman shows us the way to Water 7 and gave us a map of the city, including a letter to give to the mayor, Ice-something or whatever his name was. The only problem was she did a really crappy drawing!

 

"Crappy is an understatement, Zoro! That fucking drunk!"

 

"Okay, Nami, we get it! You're pissed!"

 

   Yeesh. Anyway...we make it to Water 7 and let me tell you, it was HUGE. The city sure does live up to it's name. It's literally a city built on the water!

 

   As soon as we arrived, everyone decided to split into three groups. Luffy, Nami, and Usopp left to cash in the gold and use it to pay a shipwright to fix the Merry (about time). The cook left to go and buy some groceries; Robin and Chopper left to go shop for some new books; I stayed behind to watch the ship and take a nap. One I REALLY NEEDED, mind you. After all the crazy s*** we've been through, I deserve a nap!

 

"But you sleep all da--"

 

"CAN IT, LUFFY!!!"

 

While I slept, I noticed that Usopp came back early and...wait...Usopp doesn't have a square nose.

 

"ALL RIGHT, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" I roared, brandishing my swords.

 

   Turns out that he works for some place called Galley-La. He came here to make some kind of assessment of Merry. Whatever...I went back to sleep anyway.

 

   Later on, I wake up again and find myself surrounded by thugs. These idiots say that they're the Franky family and that they're here for my head.

 

Like hell, they are.

 

"Three Sword Style...RHINO CYCLONE!!!"

 

Too easy. Sent those goons flying in seconds. Now, back to my nap.

 

"ZORO! ZORO, WAKE UP!!!"

 

"Oh, come on, Luffy! Can't a guy get some sl...what the fuck?! Usopp, what happened to you?!!"

 

"It...it was the Franky family..."

 

"WHAT?!"

 

"They beat me up...and they took our money!"

 

"Are you serious?"

 

"Yeah...I'm really sorry, you guys...!"

 

   Okay...that does it. THAT draws the line! It's okay if you mess with me, but when you mess with a friend of mine, then you better kiss your ass good-fucking-bye!!!

 

"You got that right!!!"

 

"For once, I agree with ya, Moss-head!!"

 

"Let's kick their asses!"

 

   That's exactly what we did. Brought the whole house down, too, and we got the money back, so now we can get the Merry fixed...or so we thought. Turns out that Merry can't be repaired...her keel is broken beyond repair.

 

Dammit...Usopp's not gonna like this. I know how much Merry means to him. She means a lot to the rest of us, too.

 

*sigh*

 

   I guess it was inevitable. Merry's so broken down, she could fall apart any minute. I hate to say it...but...it was time to say goodbye to the Merry and get a new ship.

 

Usopp...did not take it well.

 

(A/N: To say that he didn't take it well is an understatement.)

 

   He got into a huge argument with Luffy and that argument ended with him deciding to leave the crew. Then, he challenged Luffy to a duel: if Usopp wins, then he would get the Merry.

 

They fought and he lost, however, Luffy let him keep Merry. As Luffy came back, his hat covered his eyes and he said, "It's heavy..."

 

"...That's the Captain's burden," I told him. "You must not falter. If you do, who will we rely on?"

 

Everyone except the cook and me was pretty much crying by now. Even Luffy was crying at this point. Didn't blame him.

 

Usopp was like his best friend since the day we met him. To have the guy leave like that...it didn't just hurt him. It hurt us all.

 

Even so, we had to move on.

 

"Let's go," I said. "...We can never come back to this ship, again."

 

We all left and as we did...I couldn't help but wonder...

 

Where the hell did Robin go during all this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part of the Water 7 arc always makes me cry...!
> 
>  
> 
> We hope you all enjoyed reading this...


	13. Part XIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _As you are all aware, this is from each of the POVs. Zoro's and Robin's growing relationship. Takes place pre-timeskip, obviously._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XIII**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This enjoyable series belongs to the brilliant Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

*sigh*

 

I can't believe this is happening.

 

   After all this time, it looks like the World Government finally caught up to me. Twenty years long overdue, I suppose...and of all the people I had run into...it had to be CP9, probably the best Government agents in history.

 

   Officially, there are eight cipher pols in the Government, however, Cipher Pol Nine is a different story. They are a team of assassins. Many people think that they're a myth...they couldn't be more wrong. They're more real than you could ever imagine.

 

The head of the cipher pol was the one who issued the Buster Call. I'll never forget that horrible day. Mother...Professor Clover...Saul...

 

...and soon...it will be Zoro and the others.

 

_'No...!'_

 

I can't let that happen. I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe! I won't lose my family again! Even if they do betray me, in the end.

 

   Later on, I went to the home of the mayor of Water 7: Iceberg. The plan was to kill him and pin all the blame on the Straw Hats...but no. I won't let it come to that.

 

Instead...I will place all the blame on myself. It's fine...like I said...it's for the best. I can already hear them now.

 

"You're too much trouble to be around! Get outta my crew and stay out!!"

 

"You're a burden on us all, Robin! The very fact that you're alive is a crime!!"

 

I'm used to people telling me that...

 

*sniffles*

 

   I mean, it's not like I actually expected them to accept me for long...or for Zoro to love me. I guess Saul was wrong. It looks like I'll never find those friends that I'm looking for.

 

   So, anyway...I go to the mayor's home...and I pulled a gun on him. Then, I fired. I managed to hit him pretty good, but I never really intended to kill him. That first one was just an attempt. However, in doing so, I accidentally brought the Straw Hats under suspicion. That wasn't my intention. As if me leaving without saying goodbye wasn't bad enough.

 

*sigh*

 

No matter what I do, it never turns out right. Later on, I meet up with Sanji and Chopper. Apparently, they wanted to know why I left.

 

"The darkness in my heart is too much to bear," I told them. "Trust me...it'd be better for you if we part ways."

 

Seeing their distraught expressions broke my heart...still, like I keep saying...it's for the best.

 

   So, later that night, I returned to Galley-La with CP9 in order to finish the mayor off for good. It wasn't easy, though. First of all, the Galley-La shipwrights were outside, waiting for the other Straw Hats. Second, the Straw Hats were still looking for me. CP9 had prepared for this, though.

 

   First, one of them went in and distracted the guards. Next, I entered Iceberg's home with another member of the assassin team. This one was Blueno. He was the one I ran into on my way to the book shop with Chopper. He had a Devil Fruit power called the "Door-Door Fruit". He can make a door out of anything. Even any _one_. Terrifying ability, I know.

 

   Anyway...we enter Iceberg's room. It was time to finish the job. Blueno shot the mayor in his shoulder. Then, I held him down. Blueno left to guard the room and I was alone with Iceberg.

 

"Why are you doing this?" Iceburg asked me. "Don't you know what kind of harm to the world you're doing?!"

 

   What harm? I didn't care. Next, he goes on about how reviving the ancient weapon Pluton would bring about the end of the world and that I shouldn't research the poneglyphs as the "devils" of Ohara did.

 

That's when I snapped.

 

"YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING ABOUT OHARA!!!" I shouted.

 

He had no right to say that.

 

"You have no idea how much the World Government has warped my life..."

 

As I said this, I saw images of my past. Iceberg wondered why I sided with the World Government after running from them for so long.

 

"...You don't understand," I told him. "I...I just have a wish that I want to come true."

 

"A wish?" he questioned.

 

"Yes," I answered. "...I wish for the remaining Straw Hat Crew to leave this island while I, myself, am taken into custody!"

 

"And you don't care about what happens to the rest of the world?!"

 

"I don't!" I answered.

 

...That wasn't really true. While I do care for Zoro, Luffy, and the others, I also can't let the Pluton destroy the world.

 

   Yes, I know I made a deal with the World Government, that if I turn myself in, I'd reveal the location of the Pluton. In all honesty...I'd rather die than help them. I didn't tell Crocodile about Pluton, so what the hell makes you think that I'm gonna tell the World Government?

 

   Anyway...after mine and Iceberg's talk, the rest of CP9 comes in. They reveal their true identities to Iceberg and, needless to say, he was quite shocked. It turns out that they were his...now former workers.

 

   For five years, they had been working with Iceburg at Galley-La while Blueno worked at a bar. All that time, they were working undercover, waiting for Iceberg to let his guard down in order to find the blueprints for Pluton. They aren't expert assassins for nothing, you know.

 

As it turns out, Iceberg did not have the blueprints. Thank goodness.

 

   Unfortunately, they decided to test out a theory...to see if someone else had the blueprints. One of the agents, Kaku, took Iceberg's arm and checked his pulse to see if this theory was true, and it turns out...they were right. Someone else DID have the blueprints. A man by the name of Cutty Flam, now known as Franky, currently has them.

 

_'Not good.'_

 

Before I knew it, Zoro, Nami, and Chopper had arrived.

 

_'Oh, no...I knew they'd come looking for me!'_

 

Though, it was nice to see them again, before I leave for good. Although, I wondered where Luffy was. I was about to find out.

 

Then, all of a sudden, he and one of Iceburg's workers, Paulie, come crashing through the wall!

 

"Luffy!" I cried.

 

"Luffy!" Zoro shouted.

 

_'I can't believe this...this is all going so wrong.'_ I thought. _'Of course, they'd probably come and find me! I should've known!'_

 

"I've finally found you, Robin!" Luffy shouts.

 

Then, Zoro yelled at Luffy, "Hey, Luffy, where the hell did you go, idiot?!"

 

"Oh, I got stuck in between two buildings." was his answer.

 

...that poor, foolish man.

 

   Anyway, Paulie recognizes the agents of CP9 and he was just as shocked as Iceberg was, if not moreso. One of the agents, Rob Lucci, apologized for lying to him and the others for five years...he didn't sound sorry, however. He sounded...cold. More cold than Aokiji's ice powers...and that's cold!

 

(A/N: I think the temperature in the room went down a couple degrees because of Lucci's icy voice.)

 

"Would you believe me if I killed Iceberg here and now?" he asked.

 

   I secretly growled at that. Paulie was furious and rightfully so. He was about to attack them...until Lucci implaled him with his finger. He used one of the Rokushiki: Shigan. I'm amazed that he survived Lucci's attack.

 

Anyway...the rest of CP9 demonstrates their honed Rokushiki as they attack the others. It was not a pretty sight.

 

   Afterwards, Luffy asked me why I left. I couldn't tell him why I really left, so I answered, "It's over. I am doing this because I have a wish that can never come true, so long as I'm with you. Farewell."

 

Naturally, he didn't take it well, and it looked like Zoro didn't take it well, either.

 

_'Seriously?'_ I thought. _'I thought he wouldn't care!'_

 

Nevertheless, I had to leave them. Before I could go, Iceberg shouted, "Don't! If you revive the Pluton, who knows what will happen!"

 

   I've just about had it with him. If he says one more thing, then I really WILL kill him! Nonetheless, I simply used my Devil Fruit powers on him to keep him quiet. Finally. Then, I told him, "Stay out of it! I won't let anything or anyone get in the way of making my wish come true."

 

   Then...I turned and walked out the window. Luffy went after me, but Lucci stopped him. I don't know what happened after that. I was already on my way to the Sea Train.

 

Either way, it didn't matter. I was never going to see them, again.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   I don't believe this. I just don't freaking believe this. This day just can't get any worse! We're being hunted down for something that we didn't even do!

 

Though, we're pirates, so it's not surprising. Still, it's crazy!

 

   Okay, so after we leave Usopp with Merry, we are suddenly accused of trying to assassinate the mayor and you won't believe who they suspected!

 

ROBIN, of all people! Where do they get off?!

 

"You totally love her."

 

"SHUT UP, LUFFY!!!"

 

"Zoro, why is it so hard for you to accept that you have feelings for Robin?"

 

"Because it's absolutely preposterous, Nami! How can I be in love with that temptress?!"

 

"Robin is NOT a temptress!"

 

"Prove it!"

 

"You know, Zoro, you're a sexist jerk!"

 

"WHAT?!"

 

"You heard me! I don't know how Robin could love such a douchebag like you!"

 

" **SHE DOES NOT LOVE ME! SHE USED TO BE OUR ENEMY!! SHE PLAYED US ALL FOR FOOLS AND YOU KNOW IT!!! NOW LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!!!!** "

 

Freakin' Cat...she's no better than her dumb-ass boyfriend captain.

 

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

 

"Crap."

 

(A/N: Okay, we're gonna have to take a short break while Nami beats the stuffing out of Zoro, again.

 

*the sound of Nami beating up Zoro is heard*

 

We apologize for this, folks.

 

Oh, she's done! Now, back to the story!)

 

Ouch...! Anyhoo, we decided to find Robin and hear the truth for ourselves.

 

"Actually, you were the one who decided, because you love her."

 

"Luffy...can you come here for a second? I wanna cut off your tongue."

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH~!!!!!!"

 

"COME BACK HERE, LUFFY!!!!!!!"

 

"NAMI, SAVE ME!!!"

 

*Nami pounces on Zoro*

 

"GET OFF OF ME, CAT!!!"

 

"SCREW YOU!!"

 

*Nami and Zoro get into a really nasty cat fight*

 

(A/N: Folks, this is gonna take a while.

 

Please enjoy this video of a koala bear.

 

*shows a video of a koala bear*

 

Oh! They're done! Back to the story!)

 

   Sorry about that...now, we're just gonna look for Robin and find out if this is all true or not. It wasn't gonna be easy, though. The Galley-La shipwrights were hounding us. So, we had to sneak into the mayor's mansion without them noticing us.

 

At night, we all sat in a tree outside the mansion, waiting for the right moment. Then, Chopper asked, "Hey, where's Luffy?"

 

...Don't tell me...

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT IDIOT!!!! OF COURSE HE'D RUSH RIGHT IN!!!!! WHAT ABOUT THE PLAN?!"

 

Sometimes, I don't know why I even bother! I mean, seriously!

 

   Since he wasn't there, we had to come up with a different plan. Well, since he probably charged right in like he always does, we figured we could just sneak right in since he was KO-ing the bodyguards, right?

 

WRONG.

 

We were up against the whole Galley-La company and Luffy was nowhere in sight!

 

"THIS WAS A DUMB PLAN!!!" Nami, Chopper, and I said out loud.

 

_'Seriously?!'_ I shouted, mentally. _'Where the hell is that dumb-ass?!!'_

 

   Next, the foremen come after us. Just great. As if them shooting at us wasn't bad enough. Oh, well. Guess there's no fighting it. We had to fight back.

 

   Don't worry, I didn't kill anyone. I only hit them with the dull edge of my swords. Do you know what Nami would've done to me if I killed them?! She'd chop off my balls and put them in a blender!

 

*shudders*

 

Anyway, we managed to get inside. Though, for some reason, I lost sight of Nami and Chopper!

 

"Dude, you got lost! Why can't you just admit that?!"

 

"The day I admit that will be the day I start believing in god and those three stupid cats that you worship so damn much, Nami!"

 

"Fine! I'll wait forever if I have to!"

 

"You're on, Cat!"

 

*ahem!*

 

   Moving on. Eventually, we reached the mayor's room...Robin was there...along with these other guys. One of them was the square-nosed guy I saw the other day. The other was the guy with the pigeon on his shoulder. As it turns out, they were all undercover agents working for the government. They were called CP9.

 

   Tch! I knew there was something fishy about these chumps. What I wanna know is why Robin's with them. She seemed surprised to see us. Don't know why since she should have known by now that we were coming for her.

 

Unless...she knew and still left, regardless. Dammit...I knew she couldn't be trusted...I always knew! Damn temptress...!

 

"Zoro, how can you say that?!"

 

"I will say it as many times as I want!"

 

*Nami punches Zoro in the jaw, hard*

 

"Ow...!"

 

   Anyway, as we stare each other down, I'm wondering...where the hell did Luffy go?! Suddenly, Luffy bursts through the wall with one of the foremen!

 

"Luffy!" Robin cried.

 

"Luffy!" I shouted.

 

About time!

 

"I've finally found you, Robin!" he shouted.

 

"Hey, Luffy, where the hell did you go, idiot?!" I yelled.

 

"Oh, I got stuck in between two buildings." he says.

 

What. A. Dumb-ass. I can't believe he's my captain, sometimes!

 

   Whatever, the foreman that was with Luffy, Paul or something, was pretty devastated about learning the truth about CP9. One of the agents apologized to him, though he didn't sound apologetic at all. That's cold.

 

Then, he asks if killing Iceberg would prove how serious he was.

 

Bastard!

 

   Paulie shared the same rage I was feeling. Hell, he even tried attacking him...keyword being "tried". Next thing we know, he gets stabbed! I still can't believe he survived that and the crazy part is the guy didn't use a knife or anything! He used his _finger_! It's one of the six styles that the agents know how to use. The rest of CP9 demonstrated their strength and...it was ugly. Even I was nervous.

 

   Next, Luffy asked Robin why she left. Here was her answer, "It's over. I am doing this because I have a wish that can never come true, so long as I'm with you. Farewell."

 

   Right before she could leave, the mayor told her not to leave or to revive the ancient weapon, Pluton. She shut him up by twisting his body...ouch.

 

"Stay out of it!" she told him. "I won't let anything or anyone get in the way of making my wish come true."

 

   Before we could stop her...that jerk I told you about got in our way! Robin jumped right out of the window, too! We tried to go after her, but we were getting our asses kicked! Not just that, but that agent I mentioned turned into a leopard! He ate the Cat Cat fruit and Chopper said that the carnivorous zoans are the most aggressive.

 

Tch! Big deal! I'm a Tiger and last time I checked, Tigers are way stronger than leopards!

 

"They are?"

 

"Yes, Luffy, they are!"

 

"That's pretty cool."

 

   Anyhoo, Luffy and I ended up getting sent flying! I have no idea where he sent Luffy to, though I ended up falling into the ocean and right onto one of the roofs of the buildings.

 

"Well, that hurt..." I panted. "That damn leopard bastard...can't believe I let him kick my ass...well, I'll get even."

 

The thing about us tigers is that we don't take shit from anybody. Time to pay those assholes back a thousand times over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sniffles*
> 
>  
> 
> Yet another part of the Water 7 arc that makes me cry.
> 
>  
> 
> We hope that you all still enjoyed reading this...


	14. Part XIV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _From each of their POVs. Zoro's & Robin's growing relationship._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XIV**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This mind-boggling series belongs to the eccentric Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

*sigh*

 

I guess this is it, huh?

 

   The beginning of the end...for me, that is. I wish I could say that I've lived a good life...but...then, I'd be lying. I've done enough of that, already. Oh, well...

 

It's time to leave, anyway. I admit...I will miss them. Even Zoro...I...I guess I'll never get to tell him...

 

Though, as I keep saying, it's for the best...even if he was upset about me leaving, it wouldn't matter. He never trusted me to begin with.

 

   As the train began to depart...I could've sworn I heard Miss Navigator calling out to me. It was probably just my imagination and even if it was her, she was too late, anyway. We're already on our way to Enies Lobby.

 

After a while...I noticed something, or rather someone...

 

"Long Nose, is that you?!" I asked.

 

For some reason, he was wearing this odd-looking mask. Why, I don't know.

 

"What are you doing here?!" I asked.

 

   All he did was give me the peace sign. I don't believe this. First the others come looking for me, and now Long Nose? What part of "it's over" did they not understand?!

 

Of all the pirate crews I had to leave, it had to be these people!

 

   Anyway, he comes in. He claims that he isn't Long Nose and that he's "Sniper King". I have no idea what that means. Either way, he says that he's come to rescue me. There was one problem, though: I didn't WANT to be rescued. Why didn't they realize that?

 

   He told me that he and the others did know about why I left, but it still doesn't matter because I'm not going with Long Nose. Next, we heard someone coming. He had to hide within my cloak. It did make me feel a bit uncomfortable, though. Nevertheless, I was able to put on a straight face. I don't know how long it would last, though. He was getting suspicious...especially when Long Nose started doing all these weird arm gestures...and I was trying hard not to laugh. I don't know how we weren't discovered right then and there.

 

Anyway, the guard left after a moment...

 

_'Thank goodness.'_

 

"Sniper King" kept insisting that we leave, but no...I will not go.

 

  I refuse to go through the pain I went through for so many years. I know that when I go back to them...it won't matter. I know they will betray me!

 

"Sniper King" wouldn't let up, though. Then, one of the members of CP9 comes in.

 

_'This is what I was afraid of.'_

 

   Blueno walks in...and things quickly go to hell. Long Nose reveals himself...and Blueno ended up beating him. It was...brutal, to say the least. I couldn't bare to let him continue his assault on Long Nose. I had no choice...I knocked Long Nose out.

 

   Not long after, Sanji and another man arrived. He was a Black Rhino Man named Franky, but CP9 called him "Cutty Flam". So as the fight went on, Rob Lucci, Kaku, and Kalifa come in. As if things couldn't possibly get any worse. I had no choice. I was forced to intervene!

 

"Look, I'm not resisting!" I told them. "Leave them alone!!"

 

Then, I told the ohers, "You people just won't understand unless I have to spell it out for you, do I?"

 

They just stared at me in shock.

 

"I don't want to be rescued! HOW MANY TIMES MUST I SAY IT?! **JUST LEAVE ME TO MY FATE!!!** "

 

There was a brief silence. Then, Lucci started chuckling.

 

"Well...it looks like you have your answer. Now...I suggest all of you leave...except for you...Cutty Flam."

 

Suddenly, Long Nose threw down a smoke bomb and grabbed me!

 

"I've got her!" he cries. "Let's get going!! Franky, cut the car loose!!"

 

"Right!" Franky replied.

 

"PUT ME DOWN, THIS INSTANT!!" I yelled.

 

I wanted to smack Long Nose.

 

   So, Franky and the Cook managed to detach the car...but Kalifa didn't let us go so easily. She caught us with her thorny whip and pulled us back.

 

_'This is exactly why I told them to leave me behind.'_ I thought.

 

The Cook and Franky put up a good fight...but to no avail. Franky was captured...and the Cook and Long Nose were defeated.

 

   Blueno used his Door-Door Fruit powers to take me and Franky to Enies Lobby. However, just before I left...Long Nose said one last thing to me.

 

"Believe in Luffy!"

 

_'Oh, if only it were that simple.'_ I thought.

 

Later on, it's just Franky and myself.

 

"So you're Nico Robin, huh?" he asks.

 

"I am." I answer. "Why's it any of your business?"

 

"I'm just askin'...so what are you in for?"

 

"What am _I_ in for?"

 

"Yeah. What'd you do that was so bad, that you got sent here?"

 

_'He really doesn't know, does he?'_

 

I sighed and said, "I exist."

 

"That's it?"

 

"Yes."

 

"What kind of fucked-up reason is that?!"

 

"It's their reason."

 

_'Even if it's a ridiculous one,'_ I thought. _'Doesn't matter, anyways...'_

 

"Look," Franky says, "I don't know why these Government dogs think that you're such a threat...but lemme tell you this! Existing does not count as a crime!!"

 

   I didn't say anything, yet I was surprised. He was one of the only people that I've ever met who didn't think that my existence was a sin. Although, it didn't matter, anymore. We were here, now...and I just hope the others finally realized it's futile.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

I...do not...believe...the shit I'm in. Right now, I'm stuck inside a freakin' chimney.

 

Seriously?!

 

This is the kind of shit that happens to Luffy and the worst part is I can't even use my swords! All in all, this is has been a really shitty day.

 

"Hey, Zoro! Is that you?!"

 

"Huh? Chopper?! That you out there?!!"

 

"What happened?!"

 

"How the hell should I know?! One minute, I'm jumping across the rooftops and the next thing I know, I'm stuck in here! Listen, do you have one of my swords with you?!"

 

"Uhh...y-yeah! I do!"

 

"Give it to me!!"

 

"W-what?!"

 

"JUST DO IT!!!"

 

"O-Okay!"

 

So he gives me Kitetsu III...

 

"One-Sword Style...36 CALIBER PHOENIX!!"

 

   Then, I cut the chimney and get myself outta there...but when I do...there's this REALLY HUGE WAVE THAT COULD SWALLOW UP THE WHOLE FREAKIN' CITY!!

 

"HOLY CRAP!!!"

 

Then, I see Luffy with Nami and they're running away from the wave, too.

 

"Zoro! Chopper! C'mon!!" Luffy calls.

 

"Right!" we replied.

 

So we ran...and the wave was catching up to us!

 

_'Damn, damn, damn, damn, DAMN!!'_

 

   Next, we tried to reach the bridge, though the wave catches up to us. We were about to get swallowed up by that thing until one of those Galley-La shipwrights saved us with his ropes! The only downside was Chopper clinging to my face! Little turd nearly suffocated me!! Thankfully, I was able to pull him off.

 

"I WAS GONNA DIE!!!" I shouted. "Little turd! Put me in a death grip and then just pass out like that?!"

 

"Hey, Zoro," Luffy calls. "Where have you been?"

 

"Oh, you know..." I answer.

 

And then Chopper says, "Zoro got stuck in a chimney."

 

...I...wanted...to strangle him. Hell, that's just what I did, and what does Luffy do? The jerk laughs at me! Oh, like he's one to talk!

 

"You were stuck between two buildings, Luffy!!"

 

"Ow! Nami, leggo of my face!!"

 

"You're both dumbasses!"

 

"By the way, where are Sanji and Us--uhh, I mean, where's Sanji?"

 

Good question. Where did that lovesick fox go?

 

"Uh, hey guys?" Nami asks. "There's something I need to tell you."

 

"What is it, Nami?" Luffy asks.

 

   Soon, Nami started to explain everything. About why Robin really left...turns out she planned the whole thing, only it wasn't because she wanted to. She was doing it to protect us.

 

"I bet you're feeling like a real douchebag, right now."

 

"Sh-SHUT UP, NAMI!! I'm just surprised!!!"

 

"Yeah, right. Why won't just admit you like her, already?"

 

"Zoro and Robin, sitting in a tree!  
K-I-S-S-I-"

 

"DON'T YOU START, LUFFY!!"

 

"Eep...!"

 

"The day I admit that I have feelings for Robin will be the day that pigs start flying!"

 

   Anyway...after learning of Robin's true intentions, Luffy decided that we should head out and save her. I repeat, LUFFY DECIDED. Not me, okay?!

 

"That still doesn't change the fact that you went along with him, Zoro."

 

"Yeah, we all know that you have a thing for Robin."

 

"I swear, right now, if you two don't SHUT UP, I'm gonna lop off your heads!! I MEAN IT!!!"

 

"AAH!!! NAMI SAVE ME!!!"

 

"ZORO~!!!"

 

"Aw, dammit!!!"

 

(A/N: Sorry, folks. Time for an intermission. In the meantime, enjoy this vid of Kuro from _Blue Exorcist_ being ridiculously cute!

 

*shows a vid of Kuro being cute*

 

Oh, look! Zoro's back! On with the story!)

 

   So...after Luffy declares that we're gonna rescue Robin, the Galley-La shipwrights get in our way, AGAIN. These guys are _really_ starting to piss me off.

 

"Look," said Paulie. "I'm just saying! No ship can survive Aqua Laguna! This is the biggest it's ever been this year!!"

 

Like I give a damn about some stupid typhoon. We're gonna save Robin if it kills us!

 

"You totally love her!"

 

"No, I don't! She...I just remembered that she owes me 500 berries!"

 

"Ri~ght."

 

   Okay, moving on, so these Galley-La jackasses won't give us a ship because of Aqua Laguna and Nami explains about Enies Lobby and why we have to get Robin out of that place as soon as possible and, as usual, it almost looked like we had to fight our way outta this. That is, until old lady Kokoro stopped us.

 

"Look, Straw Hat," she says. "I don't care how tough you are. You're crazy if you wanna get through Aqua Laguna!"

 

_'Tell us something we don't already know.'_

 

"Stay out of this, Monster Granny!!" Luffy shouted. "We're going and that's that!!"

 

"Don't be a fool," she says. "The only way you'll get to Enies Lobby is by Sea Train."

 

"Well, the only Sea Train in the world already left!!"

 

He's got a point, I mean, it's not as thought there's another sea trai--

 

"All right...why not? We'll take my sea train, then."

 

...I stand corrected. I swear, the universe really does love proving me wrong.

 

"Ya make it seem way too easy!"

 

"Put a sock in it, Nami!!"

 

(A/N: You guys will never guess where I got that one from! XD

 

Go ahead, guess! XD)

 

The old lady takes us down underground where this other sea train is located. It looked like some kind of giant metal shark.

 

"It's name is Rocketman," said the old lady. "It's a prototype of the Puffing Tom."

 

"Rocketman!!" Luffy shouts with stars in his eyes.

 

"Sounds fast!!" Chopper shouted.

 

   Tch. Fanboys. Then, Old Man Iceburg comes out of the train. Apparently, he was fixing it up for us. While I'm glad he did, he still shouldn't be up and about. I mean, he did just get through getting shot, yet he didn't seem to care.

 

Anyhoo, Luffy's about to get on board, then he stumbles a little. Too damn hyper for his own good.

 

"Luffy, are you okay?" Chopper asked. "You've been a little shaky on your feet since we found you!"

 

"You probably lost too much blood," I told him. "From that fight you had with that CP9 guy."

 

"Come to think of it, I have been kinda dizzy," Luffy says. "I think I need some meat."

 

Then, Nami comes in with this really huge bag. What the hell?! Is that where that cat bitch has been?! I thought we were in a hurry!

 

"Hey, guys!" she calls.

 

"Where the hell did you go, Nami?!" I ask her.

 

"Yeah!" Luffy says. "You're the one who said we had to hurry! And what's with the big bag?!"

 

"I brought food and drinks." she answered.

 

"Sorry I just yelled at you." Luffy said as he started stuffing his face...and I was busy looking at the booze.

 

...DON'T JUDGE!!

 

   Ahem!!! Moving on. Just when we're getting ready to go, guess who else decides to show up. I'll give you a hint. They're the punks who decided to wail on Usopp. Yeah, those guys. The Franky Family.

 

"You gotta take us with you!!!" one of them begged.

 

   What's his name? I think it was Zambai or something. Either way, he and those other thugs have a lot of _cojones_ to beg us to let them go with us to Enies Lobby. Especially after what they did.

 

"Get on board."

 

...Wait...really?

 

"Luffy, you're not serious, are you?!"

 

"Yeah, I am." he replied.

 

...Shoot me. As if this couldn't possibly get any crazier. In any case, we had to get going. The sooner we leave, the better.

 

"You really wanna see Robin again, huh?"

 

"It's only because she owes me 500 berries."

 

"Yeah, right."

 

"Luffy, go choke on a bone."

 

"Jerkass."

 

"No more arguing, boys! It's time to go!"

 

"Okay, Monster Granny!"

 

   We hop aboard the sea train and the Franky Family runs off...they said something about getting their King Bulls, whatever they are. Either way, we're about to leave.

 

"I think you should know," Iceburg said, "that Rocketman doesn't have any brakes. It's a runaway train."

 

"That's okay!" Luffy told him. "It can go as fast as it wants!"

 

I don't care, so long as we can get to Enies Lobby as soon as possible.

 

"Wow, Zoro, you're really determined to rescue Robin, huh?"

 

"Chopper, look, I'm only doing this because Luffy said so. He's the Captain! What he says goes, and when he says rescue someone, no matter how much I don't like them, we follow his orders to the letter! _Comprende?!_ "

 

" _Si._ "

 

"Hey, I didn't know you speak Spanish, Zoro!"

 

"No one asked you, Luffy!"

 

   Yes, I speak Spanish. Big whup. Now...after boarding, we set off to Enies Lobby. At first, it doesn't look like we're going very fast...then, it happened. We hit the railway, and we were off like a shooting star! I mean, seriously!

 

"Luffy! Why are you out there?! Get your ass inside before you get blown away!!"

 

"But it's cooler out here, Nami--"

 

"NOW!!!!"

 

"YIPE!!!!"

 

Like I keep saying over and over...WHIPPED!!!

 

"SCREW YOU, ZORO!!!"

 

"Yeah, yeah."

 

   Anyway...we end up shooting right out of the tunnel and out to the ocean. On the way, the Franky Family hitches a ride with us with their King Bulls.

 

   Apparently, King Bulls are giant Yagara Bulls. Go figure. Another thing, Old Lady Kokoro told us to hold onto something once the train hits the railway, because then, we'll be going a lot faster than this and we'll have to keep injuries to a minimum.

 

"Which basically means we'll be injured, regardless."

 

"For once, Nami, I agree."

 

So, as we're about to hit the railway, the Franky Family fires a giant hook at us that nearly skewers us! Crazy idiots!

 

  Oh, and that's not all...it turns out we have some stowaways. Three of the shipwrights from the Galley-La company and the old bag's granddaughter and her pet rabbit.

 

I mean, seriously! The Franky Family and the shipwrights I'm fine with, but a KID?! We're not freaking babysitters!

 

"Jeez, Zoro, lighten up! Chimney's only a little girl and it's not as if we can turn back now!"

 

"Yeah, remember? The Rocketman doesn't have brakes! It's a runaway train!"

 

"I still don't like it! Our journey to enemy territory's turning into a freakin' family vacation!"

 

Moving on...we go up against Aqua Laguna. Just me and Luffy.

 

"Hey, Zoro," Luffy called.

 

"Yeah?" I answer.

 

"What's 108 x 2?"

 

"216."

 

"That's too long! Can we round up or something?!"

 

"Fine...make it 300, then."

 

The wave was closing in.

 

"Now, Gum GUUUUUUUUM..."

 

"300 CALIBER..."

 

**"CANNON!!!"**

 

We made an actual hole through the wave. Hmph...too easy. Mother nature should give us a real challenge, next time.

 

"Careful what you wish for, Zoro."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because it could come true and not in a good way."

 

"Feh. I'm not afraid of some dumb wish."

 

"Right."

 

   Moving on, we continue to ride the train down the tracks. As we do, we decide to change into our "battle gear" as Nami put it, though the thing is that there is only one car, and we had to change our clothes in front of everyone.

 

Paulie had to go and raise a big ruckus about Nami being a "shameless harlot" because of that.

 

"I don't have a problem with it."

 

"Of course you don't have a problem with it, Straw Hat! She's your girlfriend!!"

 

"I do have a problem with the other guys checking her out, though."

 

"Luffy, it couldn't be helped. As Zoro said, there's only one car."

 

"I know."

 

"And another thing, DON'T put meat in your pockets!!"

 

"Well, where am I supposed to put them!?"

 

"Why do you wanna carry meat in your pockets, anyway?!"

 

"In case I get hungry while we're at Enies Lobby!"

 

"That's ridiculous!"

 

"What's ridiculous about getting hungry!?"

 

"Never mind."

 

   Yeesh. Those two are so much like an old married couple that it's not even funny. Afterwards, I noticed that Nami's weapon looked different. Turns out that Usopp made some more modifications to it before he left, although not long after she says this, Luffy and Nami get all bummed out!

 

Oh, for the love of Pete!

 

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO GETTING ALL DEPRESSED FOR?! LIGHTEN UP A LITTLE!!!"

 

   We don't have time for this! Seriously, this is just ridiculous! Moving on, as we keep going, we see these detached train cars on the tracks. This is where I come in. Well, first Luffy goes and checks to see if Usopp and the cook are on there.

 

*sigh*

 

Really?

 

   Oh, well. So, Luffy enters the car, then he comes back out and holds his arms up in an X-formation. Obviously, he means that the cook isn't there. Must've gone on ahead. Either way, it meant I could cut 'em, and that's just what I did.

 

"Two sword style...RASHOMON!!"

 

   Everyone was pretty shocked...except Luffy and me, since we both thought it was no big deal. Like I said, give me a better challenge than this. Then, as we keep moving, we see a dead Sea King, cut clean in half. Unsurprisingly, Luffy wanted to eat it. You should've seen him. Guy was practically drooling waterfalls.

 

Gross.

 

   In any case, whoever cut this Sea King in half must be one helluva swordsman and sure enough, he came within our sights. Zambai confirmed that he's "Ship slasher" T-Bone of the marines. They say his sword cuts through ship like a knife cuts through a steak.

 

"A steak?" Luffy asked.

 

***Gurrrrgle!***

 

"Aww, man! Now I'm hungry!"

 

"When are you _not_ hungry?"

 

Anyhow...Luffy decided to let me take him on.

 

"I'M ONLY GONNA TELL YOU THIS ONE TIME!!!" I shouted at him. "GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR WAY!!!"

 

He doesn't move...instead...he takes out his sword and he says, "I am a proud captain of the Marines! I shall not let you pass!"

 

"Is that right?!" I questioned, unsheathing my swords. "Fine, then!"

 

_'This guy's fierce!'_ I thought. _'However...he won't beat me.'_

 

Then, he attacks.

 

"I hate crooked swordplay!" he shouts. "Right Angle, Flying Bird~!"

 

"Three Sword Style..." I said. "Bull Demon! BOLD HOOVES!!!"

 

I cut right through his attack, and him. Hmph...too easy.

 

(A/N: _Way_ too easy.)

 

Everyone else was cheering. Then, I jumped back on the train.

 

"The burden of justice is a heavy one," I told him, "but then, we have a few burdens of our own."

 

After that, I went back on board...and decided to take a nap.

 

*yawns*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cries*
> 
>  
> 
> Water Seven makes me so depressed!
> 
>  
> 
> This is all completely from memory. If we messed up, let us know.
> 
>  
> 
> Yeah, Captain T-Bone...didn't really live up to all that hype.
> 
>  
> 
> *sigh*


	15. Part XV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _From each of their POVs. Zoro's & Robin's growing relationship._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XV**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This thrilling series belongs to the oh-so-great Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Here I am, in Enies Lobby.

 

*sighs*

 

   I honestly hoped that I'm dreaming, right now. Franky made a scene upon arrival. He bit one of the soldiers on the head. The others quickly detained him. Then, he freaked out upon seeing the rest of the island.

 

"WHAT'S UP WITH THIS FREAKING ISLAND?!!"

 

   Enies Lobby is a "night-less" island. Not only that, but it almost looked like the center of the island was floating in the air above a huge hole. I could see why he would be shocked, but to be honest, I didn't really care, anymore. I didn't care...about anything anymore. I only wanted to die and I don't care if someone was coming to rescue me or not. It didn't matter, anyways. No one has ever infiltrated Enies Lobby and lived to tell about it.

 

   So, as CP9 escorts Franky and myself, I silently walk along, awaiting my fate. My wings have been bound by sea prism stone shackles, so I can neither use my powers nor can I fly.

 

I am...a caged bird.

 

(A/N: Reminds me of when Rukia was imprisoned during the Soul Society arc.)

 

   We make it to the main building of the island and we are made to wait outside the room of the director. As the two of us waited, I looked up at the sun through the window...for what looked like the last time. I thought about many things. About my life...my childhood...Saul...my Mother...the Straw Hats...but more importantly...I thought about Zoro. I thought about how I felt about him...and I realize now...that I'll never get the chance to tell him. Even if I do get the chance, it still wouldn't matter. I'm sure he doesn't return my feelings, anyway.

 

*sigh*

 

Afterwards, the director of CP9 has us both sent into his office.

 

"Ah, Nico and Robin and Cutty Flam, I presume!"

 

Oh, how I HATE that annoying little rat voice of his.

 

(A/N: So do we, Robin.)

 

If I could, I would beat him senseless and break his spine in two!

 

However...I can't.

 

(A/N: Soon, Robin. Very soon.)

 

   All I can do now is listen to him rant on and on about how he has Franky and myself. It would appear that Franky and the director have history together. From what I heard, the director took Franky's mentor away and blamed him for a crime he didn't commit. He even had the nerve to bring up how his mentor was executed to Franky's face and, naturally, Franky bit him on the head. I mentally laughed at that, despite the situation.

 

   Then, he had one of his subordinates, Kumadori, subdue Franky. Before long, the director started beating up Franky. Next, he went on about why Iceburg really sided with the World Government and then mentioned Aokiji telling him about me heading to Water 7. So Aokiji ratted me out in the end. I should've known. What I didn't understand is why he gave that man permission to issue a Buster Call. I asked him, "I don't understand. Why would Aokiji allow you to invoke the Buster Call?"

 

   Do you know what he does next? He runs over to me and hits me across the face, causing me to fall to the floor. I swear, if I weren't chained up right now, I would've massacred him!

 

"WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO QUESTION ME?!" he shouts. "YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!!"

 

_'Bastard...bastard...BASTARD!!'_

 

"You get to play a part in the rebirth of this world, isn't that enough for you, insolent witch?!"

 

Then, he laughs, saying that I should be thanking him. Thanking him for what, exactly?!

 

"I'll cleanse this world of Ohara's legacy by bleeding you dry, Nico Robin."

 

_'Oh, you'd like that very much, wouldn't you, you rat-faced bastard?'_

 

"Do you understand?"

 

   Suddenly, memories of my childhood flooded my mind. My teachers...my friend, Saul...my mother...the destruction of Ohara...all of it was a living nightmare...!

 

Next, the director explained how he'd torture me and then toss me aside once he has no use for me anymore.

 

"A life as sinful as yours deserves nothing less!" he laughed.

 

_'Shut up, shut up, shut up, JUST SHUT UP!!'_

 

"Oh, and by the way, I just received some interesting news." he went on. "Apparently, a moronic band of riffraff has decided to infiltrate our island in a hapless attempt to rescue you."

 

_'What...?!'_

 

"You don't mean...!"

 

"Yes, but don't you worry. I'm sure they've been apprehended by now." he replied. "Straw Hat Luffy and his crew will trouble us no more."

 

_'They're so stubborn...!'_

 

"They're nothing but insects compared to the might of 10,000 soldiers of Enies Lobby." he said. "Conveniently, we had prepared a prison transport ship for them. What perfect timing they have. Along with Cutty Flam, they'll make a wonderful addition as the latest inmates of Impel Down."

 

_'What...!? No!'_

 

"HOLD ON!!! THAT WASN'T PART OF OUR AGREEMENT!!! IN EXCHANGE FOR MY COOPERATION AND SURRENDER, YOU PROMISED THAT THE STRAW HATS WOULD ESCAPE SAFELY!!!"

 

The director only scoffed.

 

"Come now, what are you getting so worked up about?" he asked. "Lucci, remind her of the exact conditions that were offered."

 

"Of course, sir," Lucci said. "Our conditions were that they would escape _Water 7_ safely."

 

"Correct." said the director. "There you have it. Fairly straightforward, I'd say. After allowing them to leave Water 7 safely, as promised, the Straw Hats decided to come here."

 

_'I don't believe this...!'_

 

"Is this some kind of joke?" I asked. "You're going to break the heart of our agreement over a ridiculous technicality?!"

 

Franky shared my anger, too.

 

"THIS IS JUST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED WITH TOM, SPANDA!!!" he shouted.

 

The bastard then stomped on Franky's head.

 

"Shut up, you piece of trash!" he shouted. "We're not under any obligation to keep our promises to a bunch of criminals! You hear me?!"

 

Then, he began kicking me, as well.

 

"Don't get cocky with me, understand?! Deceiving and capturing pirates is what the Navy does, you insolent witch! You're just the idiot who fell for it!"

 

"...you coward." I told him.

 

Next, he grabbed me by my hair.

 

"Still running that mouth of yours, I see." he said. "Rest assured, I'll choose a fitting death for one who's spent her life lying and deceiving and betraying others."

 

He roughly pushed me aside and started laughing again.

 

Dammit...dammit, dammit, DAMMIT ALL TO HELL!!

 

   I can't believe I let myself get deceived like that! How could I have been so stupid?! Now, everyone else will die because of me! This is exactly what I was afraid of!

 

   The director has us escorted out of his office. He kept mocking us while doing so. This was before Franky bit him again. You don't know how much I wanted to strangle the director.

 

*sighs*

 

What's the use? I got myself into this mess...so I might as well just resign myself to my fate.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

*yawns*

 

Ah...good nap. I wonder if we're at Enies Lobby yet.

 

"Hey, Zoro! Wake up! We're here!!"

 

   Guess that answers that question. So, Luffy explains to me what happened while I was asleep. Apparently, we got derailed by that giant frog we saw before! He better have a damn good reason for me not to chop him up into mincemeat!

 

Turns out the frog is a friend of Franky's. Old Lady Kokoro managed to convince him to come to our side.

 

Oh! And thanks to Nami, we're back on the rails.

 

"You're welcome!"

 

Oh, and the cook came back.

 

"You sound like you're not happy to see me!"

 

"That's because I'M NOT!!"

 

"I bet he'd be happy if he saw Robin again."

 

"For the last time, I AM _**NOT**_ IN LOVE WITH ROBIN!!! SHE JUST OWES ME 500 BERRIES!!!"

 

"Oh, for the love of god, Zoro, JUST ADMIT IT!! You're giving me a headache!!!"

 

"NEVER!!! I'LL NEVER ADMIT TO BEING IN LOVE WITH HER!!!"

 

"OH, MY GOD, YOU GUYS!!! SANJI BROUGHT BACK A SUPERHERO!!!"

 

"Really?!"

 

...Okay, we see this 'superhero'. Who the hell does Usopp think he's trying to fool?! I'd recognize that long nose and those clothes anywhere!

 

"I know, right?! Well, at least he's okay."

 

"Yeah...I'm still pissed at that idiot."

 

The only ones who were fooled were Luffy and Chopper.

 

What a couple of dumb-asses! Anybody and their grandmother could tell it's Usopp except these two!

 

   Ugh. Whatever. I'll let them believe what they wanna believe. Now, back to the mission. While Usopp, or rather "Sniper King" was busy entertaining Luffy and Chopper, the cook explained to us what happened to Robin. Even though we know why she's doing this, she still doesn't want to be rescued. Those CP9 bastards are using her childhood fears against her.

 

I swear...I'll kill every last one of them...!

 

"Aw, you really do care about Robin."

 

"I DO NOT!!!"

 

   Anyway...after the cook's done explaining what happened, Luffy goes on saying that Robin's reason is a stupid one. To which, Nami whacks him on the head.

 

"IDIOT! Don't you realize how Robin feels?!"

 

"Who cares about that?! We're gonna save her whether she likes it or not!!"

 

"Luffy, you have to consider Robin's feelings!"

 

"Let it go, Nami. You know that once Luffy makes up his mind, there's no changing it."

 

She sighed.

 

"Good grief."

 

   Anyhow, Paulie calls us over to discuss the plan. While he, the Galley-La guys, and the Franky Family charge ahead to make a hole for us, we'll stay behind until Rocketman busts through the main gate. Sounds simple enough, right?

 

Think again.

 

"Uh, where's Luffy?"

 

Oh...fuck.

 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!!?!?!?!"

 

"WHY THE HELL IS HE GOIN' IN ON HIS OWN?!!"

 

"THAT CRAZY STRAW HAT DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE PLAN AT ALL!!!"

 

"Ugh," Nami groaned as she slumped down. "There goes our strategy."

 

"He said, 'Right, got it', didn't he?" the cook asked.

 

"He's not really the 'wait five minutes' type." said "Sniper King".

 

He would know...since he's USOPP!!!

 

*sighs, then pinches the bridge of his nose*

 

Know what? Screw this, I'm going up on the roof. Better than being with a bunch of dumb-asses.

 

"You better not be talking about me, Zoro."

 

"So what if I am? What are you gonna do about it?!"

 

*Nami cracks her knuckles*

 

"...Oh, shit."

 

(A/N: Intermission, folks. AGAIN. Zoro, you've really gotta learn not to get on Nami's bad side, dude.

 

Anywho...back to the story.)

 

...Ow. Dammit, why does Nami always have to hit me so damn hard?!

 

"Maybe it's cuz you act like a jerk, sometimes."

 

"OH, PUT A SOCK IN IT!!!"

 

   Now then, I'm sitting on the train with the big frog. The main gate is just up ahead. Too bad it's closed, right now, but no problem. I've got a plan.

 

"Hey, Frog!! See fence?! SMASH!!!"

 

"GERO, GERO!!!"

 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" everyone shouts.

 

So, he smashes the fences.

 

...Okay, maybe not "smash", but more like bends it so it's like a ramp. Sent us flying right into the air. Everybody was screaming like babies. Went something along the lines of this:

 

"YOU'RE GONNA KILL US ALL, MOSS-HEAD!!!"

 

"MOMMY~!!!"

 

"I CAN'T DIE!! I HAVEN'T MARRIED LUFFY YET!!!"

 

"I NEVER GOT TO VISIT HERSHEY PARK!!!"

 

Wait, what?

 

Ah, who cares. Anyway...as we're falling, everyone wonders what if I've thought of a way to land and I have.

 

"We'll see if luck is on our side!"

 

"What's the real plan, Zoro?"

 

"...We fall."

 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!!"

 

"QUIT YER WHINING!!!"

 

"I HATE YOU!!!" they all shout.

 

   Psh. Like I give two shits. Well, anyway, we managed to get in after we land on the back of some giant's head. Piece of cake. Once we made it to the other side, it was time to raise hell on earth. The cook and I took out a fair amount of marine soldiers.

 

"Huh. Maybe we should've introduced ourselves first."

 

"Nah. I'd rather let my feet do the talking."

 

Then, we go in for the attack. Though, before we do, one of the marines called me one of Luffy's "henchmen".

 

"Henchman, huh?"

 

"At least they recognize me, you're not even a henchman. You're Pirate A."

 

"What was that?!"

 

"Maybe B."

 

"Listen, when I get a bounty, it's gonna be twice as much as yours!"

 

(A/N: Hahaha, if only he knew. XD)

 

"Whatever, Pirate C."

 

"Stop changing it!"

 

   Hehehe, I love messing with that ero-cook. Anywho...the marines see "Sniper King" and Chopper and aim their cannons at them and Rocketman.

 

"HEY, STOP!!! NAMI'S STILL INSIDE THERE!!!" the cook shouts.

 

They fire. "Sniper King" and Chopper were able to escape.

 

"Dammit, if they harmed a hair on her head, I swear--"

 

"Hold on a second, Pirate A."

 

"WHAT?!"

 

"Nami isn't a background character like you. It's gonna take more than a sorry little bazooka attack to defeat her."

 

"Listen you henchman, for the last time--"

 

Before he could even finish that sentence, a small tub falls on his head.

 

"Oh, relax, Sanji!"

 

"See, what'd I tell ya?"

 

She maybe a cowardly bitch, but Nami's still pretty tough, to a certain extent. Why do you think Luffy's dating her?

 

"Thank you, Zoro."

 

"Yeah, yeah."

 

I admit, I can be a nice guy sometimes...but don't get any ideas. Anyway, we charged through the place, kicking any ass that was in our way!

 

Nami defeated some marines, too. Here's what happened: She took her little pole...and created a large black cloud.

 

"Thunderbolt...TEMPO!!!"

 

Lightning rained down and electrocuted many of the marines. Oh, and I did I mention that SHE ALSO SHOCKED US?!!

 

"It wasn't my fault! You guys were standing beneath the cloud!!"

 

"A LITTLE WARNING WOULD'VE BEEN NICE!!!"

 

Freakin' Cat. Anyway, after taking out most of the marines, we head off to catch up with Luffy. Hopefully, we won't be too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh*
> 
>  
> 
> Lord Almighty, I was NOT looking forward to writing part XV...
> 
>  
> 
> Robin was so depressed during the Enies Lobby arc, despite the whole arc being my number one favorite in the entire series.:(
> 
>  
> 
> It reminded me of the Soul Society arc when Rukia was awaiting her execution.
> 
>  
> 
> I want Spandam's blood...!
> 
>  
> 
> Tell me what you guys thought about Part XV.


	16. Part XVI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The moment everyone has been waiting for._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XVI**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This heartbreaking series belongs to the wild Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Hello, again...I'm surprised you're back.

 

...Though, it is nice that I have someone here. Other than Franky. While we're waiting to be taking to Marine Headquarters and Impel Down, Franky talks to me.

 

"Damn, you got it good." he said. "Not everyone gets their own rescue squad."

 

One of the marine scouts who were watching us told him to be quiet.

 

"SORRY!!!" he snapped. "Hmph! Well, I'm just saying. It's not like I'm bitter, cuz my men aren't coming to save me and they've got bigger stuff to deal with, sure."

 

   I didn't say anything...I only listened. Even though it was nice to have someone by my side...I didn't really care, as I've kept saying. I had since lost all hope.

 

 _'A Buster Call?'_ I thought as memories of Ohara burning to the ground kept replaying in my mind.

 

As I was remembering that nightmare, the director appeared before us.

 

"Hey, Ms. Robin," he said. "It seems we have an urgent message coming from the marines down at the main island. Knowing what it's likely about, I wouldn't call it an...emergency, exactly."

 

I just sneered at him. I knew what he meant.

 

"You're friends tried their best, but only managed to take down five of our soldiers." he went on. "I wonder how they were ultimately defeated. Did some of my other men bring them down? Or was it the Giant gate-keeping team, Oimo and Kashii? So many possibilities."

 

_'Shut up, you rat-faced little coward...!'_

 

I wanted SO BADLY to say that to him!

 

(A/N: Then, fucking say it!)

 

"Why don't we listen to the report about those idiots who defied the World Government?" he asked. "And learn their fate together?"

 

_'Bastard...bastard...BASTARD!!'_

 

"You're such a scumbag!" shouted Franky.

 

"Shut up, you lowlife!" the director snapped.

 

So, he picks up the receiver on a Transponder Snail, then, he starts to speak.

 

"This is Spandam," he said. "I understand that you have a report."

 

" **Chief Spandam! Finally, thank goodness!** " said soldier on the other line. " **I tried your direct line, but I couldn't get through! I...I'm not really sure where to begin...** "

 

"Oh, calm down," Spandam said. "Now, tell me...give me all of the details, loud and clear."

 

" **Right, the intruders--** "

 

"Did you accidentally kill them?" he asked. "Pity. It's their fault for being such weaklings."

 

" **The intruders consist of about 60 pirates,** " the soldier explained. " **They've pushed their way all the way through the main island and have reached the courthouse plaza! W-We can't stop them, sir!** "

 

"C...come again?"

 

" **Another thing, Oimo and Kashii have joined up with the pirates!** " the soldier continued. " **They're currently destroying the central part of the main island!** "

 

"Say what...?"

 

" **After hearing all the failed reports, our current causality total must be over 2000 men!** "

 

"Wait...not five...?"

 

" **And the man who took out all of those men all by himself, the notorious "Straw Hat" Luffy, has suddenly disappeared!** " the man on the other line added. " **We're still accessing the situation here!** "

 

"What? What?! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!!"

 

Next, Spandam ran back into his office. Meanwhile, Franky was laughing his butt off.

 

"WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON?!" Spandam questioned.

 

   Truth be told, I actually wanted to laugh, myself. I couldn't, though. How could I? I got them into this mess. They shouldn't be coming here to save me. They should be angry! They should've left me to die, but no! They just had to keep coming after me!

 

I know it sounds wrong, but it's the truth! I don't want them to save me, and even if they did, I don't care! They should just let me die!

 

*sighs*

 

   I never asked for any of this. I didn't ask to be saved...and I didn't ask for the life I've led. Out of everyone in the entire world, I have the worst luck. I'm in love with a man who clearly doesn't love me and he'll never know how I feel about him. I've finally found my second family and now...I've lost them again.

 

...I guess it's not so bad. At least when I die, I'll be with my Mother, again. At least...I hope so.

 

*sighs*

 

   I hear Spandam calling someone by the name of Chief Baskerville, wanting to confirm if the others have made it into the courthouse plaza. Turns out that they have made their way into the courthouse.

 

"WHAT~!?" Spandam questioned. "THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!! HOW DID A BUNCH OF MEASLY PIRATES GET PASSED OUR DEFENSES?!!"

 

   He had some of his men send both Franky and myself through the Gates of Justice as soon as possible. To him, if we were sent beyond those gates, everyone would lose their will to come and rescue me. Suddenly...

 

"OH, NO YOU DON'T!!!"

 

   I look and see Franky...inflating his buttocks...? ...I...I don't know what to make of this. I also kind of wish that I wasn't chained up, right now...! He was saying that he had just initiated the self-destruct in his body!

 

Oh, dear...! There are lot of ways to die, but I DON'T want to go out like this!

 

(A/N: WHO DOES?!)

 

   Anyway, he demanded that the guards removed his chains. Naturally, they were afraid of getting blown up, so that's just what they did. Unfortunately, it looked like Franky was lying about shutting off the self-destruct. Oh, god...I can't believe I'm gonna die this way.

 

At least...that's what I thought.

 

"Coup de...BOO!!!"

 

The next thing I know, he grabs me and rockets us both out the balcony of the tower with this huge flatulence.

 

It's...rather embarrassing to talk about, really.

 

(A/N: I hear you, girlfriend.)

 

Never mind. So, we're outside the balcony...and what do I see?

 

Luffy...and the other Straw Hats, standing on the courthouse roof.

 

"Robin! We're here to get you back!!"

 

_'Dammit...! Why did they have to come here...?!'_

 

"How many times do I have to tell you?! I'm not coming back! I'm not part of your crew, anymore!" I shouted. "Just go away! I don't wanna see your faces ever again! Don't you understand?! Why did you come to save me in the first place?! Why can't you just let me go?! I never asked for this! You've gone too far! For the last time, I DON'T WANT YOU HERE!!!"

 

I don't want to lose anymore of the people I care about.

 

"Do you hear me?! I JUST WANT TO DIE!!!"

 

Spandam happened to be listening and found this all amusing. Then, he starts laughing.

 

"Of course you do!" he says.

 

"What the hell are you tryin' to pull?!" Franky questioned. "Your friends put their lives on the line to come here! And you--"

 

"They decided to do that on their own." I interrupted.

 

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" he yells. "WHO CA--"

 

Before he could even finish his sentence, Kaku kicked him in the face. The rest of CP9 had arrived, as well.

 

"That's right, you fools!" Spandam said. "You may act tough, but you don't know what you're up against! Open your eyes!"

 

   Next, he brags about how the Straw Hats cannot defeat CP9. Then, he takes out a Golden Transponder Snail. It's a special kind that allows higher-up marines to issue a Buster Call.

 

"A Buster Call?!"

 

"Yes. That's right," he answered. "I'm sure you remember its power well. After all, it did destroy your homeland, 20 years ago. What was it called? Ohara? Sort of hard to remember the name, since it was wiped off the map."

 

"Anything but that!" I cried. "I'm begging you!"

 

I can't let that happen, again! I've lived through enough nightmares!!

 

"Oh~, you're begging? How nice." the bastard mused. "What's wrong? You don't want me to press this button and annihilate all of your little friends, is that right?"

 

I sneered at him.

 

"You're insane. If you press that button, do you have any clue what will happen?"

 

"Of course, I do." he answered. "This button will eliminate any chance your friends have at leaving this island alive! All it takes is one push, it couldn't be more simple!"

 

"IF YOU THINK THAT, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND A THING!!!"

 

"All those old memories coming back?" he laughed. "Let's see...if I press this button, it might be fun..."

 

"THIS ISN'T A JOKE!!! STOP IT!!!"

 

"...I'm the one who makes the demands here, wench."

 

"You say Ohara was wiped off the map...but your map doesn't show you the lives of the people who lived there. Your view of the world is so distant and so twisted! And you've lost sight of your humanity! There's a limit to how much you can sacrifice in the name of justice. The Buster Call is going too far. You can't use it...anything but that!"

 

Soon, I began remembering my past again.

 

"If you trigger a Buster Call, everything will be destroyed." I explained. "That includes all of Enies Lobby...and, mostly likely, you as well."

 

Of course, he didn't believe me.

 

"20 years ago...everything was taken from me...and many innocent lives were lost. With one push of a button, they summoned a terrible demon." I continued. "Now, it rears it's head again...hanging its sights on the friends I've searched so hard to find."

 

I can't lose them, too...!

 

"The more that I wish for us to be together, the more my ugly fate bares its fangs at you." I explained. "Even now, no matter how far we sail, there's an enemy who haunts me at every turn...because I'm facing the world and all of its darkness."

 

There's just no way that I can let them go through that...!

 

"First, it was Aokiji, and now CP9! I've dragged you into my troubles twice already! If it goes on and on like this, no matter how kind you may be..."

 

They all just looked at me.

 

"Sooner or later, you will all see me as nothing more than a burden!" I went on. "Someday, you'll be forced to betray me and throw me away! That's what I'm most afraid of! Understand?! That's why I didn't want you to rescue me! If that's the only future I have, I'd rather die! So, save me the pain!"

 

Then, Spandam laughs at me again.

 

"Of course!" he shouted. "What other choice do you have?!"

 

He then points up at the World Government flag.

 

"Look there, you fools!!" he shouted. "This symbol represents the unity of over 170 nations! A power that spans the four seas and the Grand Line! This is the world itself! No matter how loud your bark may be, you can't stand up to an enemy like that, just face it already! Do you realize how strong our organization is?! Do you realize how devoted we are to capturing her?!"

 

Luffy's response was, "If that's Robin's enemy, then I know what to do. Sniper King."

 

"Hm?"

 

"Shoot down that flag." he ordered.

 

"Roger."

 

"Sniper King" brandishes his weapon, called "Kabuto" and he aims for the World Government flag.

 

"Behold it's awesome power!" he shouts. "Special Attack: **FIREBIRD STAR!!!** "

 

He shoots what appears to be a firebird and burned the flag!

 

"No way...!" I gasped.

 

All of the marines and government officials were unsurprisingly shocked by this.

 

"YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!" Spandam yells. "YOU MORONS CAN'T CHALLENGE THE ENTIRE WORLD AND EXPECT TO WIN!!!"

 

" **OH, YEAH!? WELL, BRING IT ON!!!** " Luffy roared, making Spandam to shriek in terror.

 

The whole time, tears welled up in my eyes...I couldn't believe that the Straw Hats would really take on the World Government for me...!

 

"ROBIN~!!!" Luffy called. "THERE'S STILL SOMETHING I WANNA HEAR YOU SAY!!!"

 

_'They really did it...!'_

 

" **TELL ME YOU WANNA LIVE~!!!** " he shouts.

 

All of the Straw Hats were waiting for my answer.

 

 _'I can live...?'_ I thought.

 

I remembered all of the people who used to say that my existence was a very sin and that I shouldn't be allowed to live.

 

 _'I never dared to whisper something like that...!'_ was what I said, mentally. _'The world had denied me of that hope...'_

 

I then remembered how I told everyone how I only wanted to die and what Saul told me before he died. He was right...!

 

_'But, now...I'm allowed to say my wish...! Just this once! And I...'_

 

" **I WANT TO LIVE~!!! TAKE ME WITH YOU!!! TAKE ME AWAY FROM HERE~!!!** "

 

Finally...I'VE FINALLY FOUND PEOPLE WHO TRULY WANT TO PROTECT ME!!!

 

I CAN'T DIE NOW!!! I JUST CAN'T!!!!

 

*sobs*

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

Hey there. At the moment, we had just gotten through fighting all those Marines. What a pain that was.

 

   That, and those King Bulls that belonged to the Franky Family took a huge wallop for us. I think the one called Gomorrah went blind because some shrapnel got in his eyes.

 

Damn. I really felt sorry for the big lugs.

 

   Nevertheless, we had to keep moving on. Once we got to the courthouse, we heard Luffy making a big ruckus up on the top. I guess he started fighting without us. Though, before we could even get to the roof, we had to get passed this guy called Baskerville. Evidently, the dude had three heads. One on the right, one of the left, and one smack in the middle. Looked kinda like a Human Cerberus or something.

 

   So, that judge gets in our way and the Franky family holds him off for us. After that, we made our way up. Though, I get separated from the others.

 

"'Separated', my ass! You got lost!!"

 

"SHUT IT, NAMI!!!"

 

   Know what? No, I'm not getting into this right now! That's not important! What's important is saving Robin and I DO NOT wanna hear ANYBODY saying I'm in love with her!!!

 

*there is silence*

 

   Good. Anyway, I make it up to the roof with my Tatsumaki and I take Nami and Chopper with me. Although, little Miss Puss in Boots wasn't too happy about how we got on the roof.

 

"'Wasn't too happy' does not even BEGIN to describe how pissed I was!!"

 

"Whatever."

 

Oh, and the cook shows up, too.

 

"Finally made it, huh? You get lost or something?"

 

"Oh-hoho, no, no, don't-don't you dare! Don't EVEN go there!"

 

(A/N: *laughs* I love that line, man! XD)

 

   Suddenly, "Sniper King" shows up. I don't know where he'd been this whole time. Eh, not important. Now that we're all here, it was time to get Robin back.

 

"So you can--"

 

"AH!! Luffy, I swear, if you say another word, I'LL SLICE YOUR TONGUE OFF!!!"

 

"AAH!!!"

 

*Luffy covers his mouth*

 

"That's what I thought! NOW, ZIP IT!!"

 

*Luffy nods*

 

   Okay, moving on. So, we all stand, side-by-side in front of the Tower of Justice. There, we see CP9 and Robin. As well as Franky. However, Robin still kept saying that she didn't want to be rescued. Kept going on about saying that we should've just left her to die. The truth is, she believes that someday we'll abandon her because of her burdens and that she'd rather die than go through that.

 

Well, I can tell you right now that that's a load of shit...and Luffy's about to prove it.

 

"Sniper King."

 

"Hm?"

 

"Shoot down that flag."

 

"Roger."

 

Then, "Sniper King" pulls out this really big slingshot. He calls it "Kabuto". Next, he aims for that damn flag.

 

"Behold it's awesome power! Special Attack: **FIREBIRD STAR!!!** "

 

   Then, he shoots a giant firebird at the flag and burns it down. Gotta admit, that's kinda impressive. The director of CP9 says that we've gone too far and all that jazz, and Luffy responds by saying, " **OH, YEAH!? WELL, BRING IT ON!!!** "

 

You should've seen him. He was shrieking like a little punk bitch.

 

Anyhoo, Luffy then shouts, "ROBIN~!!! THERE'S STILL SOMETHING I WANNA HEAR YOU SAY!!! **TELL ME YOU WANNA LIVE~!!!** "

 

"Robin!" Chopper called.

 

"Robin...!" Nami whispers.

 

I look at Robin...and she's got tears coming out of her eyes. Then...she opens her mouth and yells at the top of her voice:

 

" **I WANT TO LIVE~!!! TAKE ME WITH YOU!!! TAKE ME AWAY FROM HERE~!!!** "

 

   Everyone smiled and Franky was bawling like a big baby. I'll admit that I was happy, too...even if I didn't show it. Anyway, we get ready to head inside of the Tower of Justice. Time for us to rescue Robin!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HALLELUJAH~!!! TTwTT
> 
>  
> 
> I've been dying to write this for ages. :')
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy, everybody. ^^


	17. Part XVII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is now time to rescue Robin.

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XVII**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This action-packed series belongs to Ze Great Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Well...I said it. I said that I want to live. And now...I'm not taking it back!

 

"Hey, Robin!" Luffy called. "We'll save you, no matter what!"

 

"Just hang tight!" Zoro added.

 

_'Zoro...?'_

 

   He's actually concerned for me? I always thought he might hold a grudge against me for leaving...and that he always thought of me as an enemy. It's as I've said over and over again, I never expected him to actually love me. I feel that I haven't really done anything to deserve his love.

 

   And yet, here he is. You don't know how happy that made me. Unfortunately, it looks like my happiness is short-lived. Spandam was planning on taking me to the Gates of Justice a lot sooner than expected. Before that, Franky revealed that he had the blueprints to Pluton the entire time. Although, before Spandam could get them...Franky burned them.

 

Naturally, he didn't handle it very well.

 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

 

See?

 

   The rest of CP9 were shocked, as well. Inside, I was actually smirking. A psychopath like Spandam should never be given such an unimaginable power. He wouldn't even know how to use it! Now that I think about it, there's no way Aokiji would ever let someone like him issue a Buster Call. How he let this idiot do that, I will never know!

 

   After Franky burns the blueprints, well, Spandam got pretty mad and pushed him off the tower. I guess he doesn't care about taking him to Impel Down anymore. As for me...he was taking me straight to the Gates of Justice.

 

Oh, and did I forget to mention that Luffy pushed everyone off the courthouse roof?

 

   Why, I don't know. Either way, I hope they find a way to get to me quick, because once I'm beyond the Gates of Justice...they might as well forget rescuing me altogether.

 

So, please, everyone...PLEASE SAVE ME!!!

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   Well, folks, here we are again. After Robin declared that she wanted to live, we decided to honor that wish. The Franky Family even managed to open the draw bridge. Right on schedule.

 

"Hey, Robin!" Luffy called. "We'll save you, no matter what!"

 

"Just hang tight!"

 

"Aw, Zoro, you really do love Robin!" Nami says.

 

"SHUT UP!!!"

 

I am getting really tired of everyone saying that I'm in love with Robin! I mean, seriously! Why does everyone make that assumption!?

 

"Gee, I don't know, maybe it's cuz you made out with her that other time."

 

"Dammit, that was a moment of weakness!"

 

"Riiiiight..."

 

"Oh, whatever! We don't have time for this!"

 

Anyway...those damn marines stop the bridge from opening, leaving us with no way to get to the Tower of Justice!

 

"Oh, don't worry! I got it covered!"

 

"Luffy, what are you talking about...wait, what are you doing? Why are you stretching your arms out like...oh, no. No! No, Luffy, not that! Anything but that!! LUFFY!!!"

 

"AND HERE WE GO!!!"

 

"OH, FUZZY~!!!"

 

Luffy pushed all of us off the courthouse roof!!! THAT IDIOT!!!

 

I swear, one of these days, I'm gonna tie his neck in a big knot!!

 

*sighs*

 

I'll probably do that when we're done rescuing Robin.

 

"You better not, if you value your manhood, Zoro!"

 

"AH!!!"

 

   Uh...anyway. Once Robin goes past those Gates, bye-bye, birdy. So, if we somehow manage to survive this stupid fall, rescuing her is the first thing we're gonna do!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for how short this is. Hopefully, the next one will be longer.
> 
>  
> 
> Zoro still continues to deny his obvious feelings for Robin...stubborn burro. XC


	18. Part XVIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Here, the Buster Call is invoked and Zoro clashes with Kaku._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XVIII**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This action-packed series belongs to Ze Great Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

   I don't believe this! Here I am, being dragged away against my will like a sack of potatoes! I curse the fact that I'm still handcuffed. If I wasn't, I'd give Spandam a piece of my mind, right now!!!

 

   All the while, he kept going on and on about how there isn't any hope left for me. The least he could do was give me some earplugs so I wouldn't hear his rantings! That was torture enough!

 

(A/N: I agree. No amount of torture from both Impel Down, Marine HQ, or anything else could compare to Spandam's insufferable rantings.)

 

We arrive at a secret entrance leading to the Gates of Justice, and then...well...you won't believe what he did next.

 

   Here's what happened: he got so desperate to get rid of Luffy and the others, he started to panic, and he grabbed what he thought was his Mini Transponder Snail...but it wasn't. It was the golden transponder snail. The one that summons the Buster Call!

 

_'That idiot...!'_

 

   Before I could stop him...it was too late. It had already begun...my worst nightmare! I tried warning the whole island about the Buster Call, though Spandam ended up smacking me.

 

"SHUT UP, YOU INSOLENT COW!! I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM!!!"

 

He goes on about how'd they make "noble sacrifices for the good of justice". What kind of bulls*** is that?! I mean, really!

 

" _Yeblya ublyudok..._ " I cursed.

 

(A/N: I know it's not very lady-like for Robin to swear, but can you honestly blame her?)

 

   I honestly can't believe my luck! The demon from my past is coming...and this son of a bitch is just throwing away his men's lives, just to be famous?!

 

   It never ceases to amaze me how low people will sink in order to get what they want. Although, Spandam's men happened to overhear him when he turned the other Transponder Snail on by mistake. Naturally, they all panicked at the thought of the Buster Call coming to destroy the island. What an idiot. I can't wait to get these handcuffs off so that I can pay him back a hundred times over.

 

(A/N: Fang - You will have your chance, Robin.)

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   So, after Luffy pushes us all off of the rooftop, we all land on Rocketman and end up crashing through the Tower of Justice! Ended up under a pile of rubble, too. Afterwards, we all emerged out of it.

 

"Just like in _Gargoyles_!"

 

"Shut up, you jackass!! We're not rubber like you!!!"

 

"Ah!"

 

   Moving on, now that we're inside, our first and utmost priority is to rescue Robin, and if I hear someone say I'm in love with her, I'm cutting out their tongues!!!

 

*silence*

 

That's what I thought. So, as we're about to go find Robin, one of those CP9 guys, the one with the zipper for a mouth, appears.

 

"Not so fast!" he said.

 

"...What the hell is that?" Luffy asked.

 

"Chapapapa, so you've invaded the Tower of Law. There's no point in going on. You won't ever find Nico Robin. Lucci's already taken her to the Gates of Justice. Oh, and the chief's with them, too."

 

"Really?" Nami asks. "Thanks for telling us where we should start looking."

 

"Chapapa, why'd I tell them that?"

 

"He's not too bright." Chopper says.

 

   No kidding. Anyhoo, that CP9 agent goes on about how he won't tell us how to get to Robin and how he and the rest of those secret agent goons were given orders to kill us. He also says that if we want to get to Robin, we're gonna have to fight every last one of them.

 

"Duh! I like it better when you were telling us things we didn't already know." Luffy spoke.

 

"Chapapa, you've got fire in you," the agent replied. "but, I've got one more thing to tell you."

 

"So, say it." Luffy tells him. "We're listening."

 

   That's when the big mook holds up a key. You're probably wondering what that key's for. Well, it turns out to be a key to a pair of handcuffs: Robin's handcuffs.

 

"GIVE IT HERE!!" Luffy shouted as he tried to grab it, but zipper guy jumps away before he can.

 

"Not so fast, chapapa!" he says. "You don't know it this is the real key!"

 

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!!!" we all shout.

 

   Turns out that each member has a key, and only one of them has the right key to Robin's handcuffs. WHAT A LOAD OF HORSE S***!!! Then again, OF COURSE they wouldn't make it easy for us!! BASTARDS!!!

 

So, anyway, that guy with the zipper mouth leaves and Luffy tries to follow him.

 

"Hold on, Luffy! Will you just wait a second?!" I shout, grabbing onto his face. "Stop running and listen to me! Let's decide what we're gonna do before we split up!"

 

"SHUT UP AND RET ME GO!!!" he yells.

 

"WILL YOU BE QUIET AND LISTEN FOR A SECOND, YOU MORON?!!"

 

"WHAT ABOUT ROBIN!?"

 

"I KNOW ABOUT ROBIN! JUST CALM DOWN!!"

 

   So, while "Sniper King" and I were holding Luffy back, we explained to him what we should do. We would face off against the other agents of CP9 and he'd deal with that leopard guy, Lucci. That way, we'd get all the keys without guessing which one is the right one! Smart, right?

 

Anyhoo, after we got that established, we all split up. Eventually, I ran into that square-nosed guy, Kaku.

 

"Your swords are drawn." he says. "You don't waste time."

 

I smirked.

 

"They've been thirsty...for the taste of blood."

 

It was about time I got myself some real exercise, anyway.

 

"Why don't you save me the trouble of cutting you down?" I asked. "You have the key or not?"

 

"Don't be a fool," he answered. "you may have been a bit of a disappointment back at the Galley-La mansion, but I expect to be entertained this time. If you pirates could make it this far, then you're far more capable than I gave you credit for."

 

"Got that right. Make that mistake again and you're dead."

 

"Maybe so. You're like a beast...that savage look in your eyes. But I can be pretty beastly myself. You know, for the record, I'm the strongest swordsman in all of CP9. This won't be easy."

 

   Oh, this ought to be good. As it turns out, he's a yontoryuu user. He uses two swords and uses that Tempest Kick thing as extra swords. Fine by me.

 

Anyway, we fight and I had to say, it was a bit of an effort. That guy was a lot tougher than I thought.

 

  After a while, he started to transform. He turned into a giraffe! A FREAKIN' GIRAFFE!!! What is this, a zoo?! Then again, I'm not one to talk, seeing as how I'm a Tiger Man.

 

Still, this is trippy! Yeah, I said trippy. Got a problem with that?!

 

*silence*

 

   That's what I thought. Anyway, he had clearly acquired this power not too long ago and it shows...because he went full Beast Mode when he first transformed when he only meant to go into his Hybrid Form! What a mook! And to top it all off, he caused the floor to cave in beneath us! Again, WHAT A MOOK!!! And as if that wasn't crazy enough, we drop in on Usopp's fight with another CP9 agent. Some guy that could turn into a wolf!

 

Criminy...anyhoo, Kaku gets into a fight with the wolf dude and I was really starting to lose my patience.

 

"Hey giraffe!" I called. "Could you shut up? I'm in a hurry. If you two animals wanna fight, then do it on your own time. But if you just wanna stand there, your neck is an easy target."

 

"You fool, don't underestimate the limitless destructive power of giraffes!" he says.

 

Next, he shifts into his Hybrid form...

 

"Whoa, that is lame!" I yell.

 

"HUH?!" he yells. "Wha!? NO!!!"

 

   His colleague was laughing his ass off the whole time. Oh, and "Sniper King" ends up shooting a pair of sea stone handcuffs on my wrist...that idiot.

 

"What the hell are you trying to pull?!" I questioned.

 

"Well, I was thinking that those are probably the handcuffs they put on Robin!" he answers. "Our enemies both have Devil Fruit powers, you know?! So I thought if I cuffed them, they'd be easier to beat!"

 

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU PUT THE HANDCUFFS ON THEM?!" I asked. "WHY ME?!"

 

"Because I..." he snickered, then laughed, "that giraffe guy's face is too funny! My hand slipped!"

 

   So, while "Sniper King" and that wolf guy are laughing at Kaku's expense, he starts getting pissed...and that's when things REALLY started to get bad.

 

"Tempest Kick...SKY SLICER!!!"

 

Next thing I know, he's pulling off this break dance move or something, and then he actually cuts the tower in half!

 

(A/N: Mental Note: DO NOT make fun of Kaku being a giraffe...)

 

Lucky that Usopp--I mean "Sniper King" and I got down in time!

 

"You can show off all you want, it doesn't matter to me." I told him. "I came here expecting a fight. Your powers don't scare me one bit."

 

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, that hurts, Zoro! Why are you pulling my arm like that?!" "Sniper King" questioned. "...Wait...my arm..."

 

...oh, no...USOPP AND I ARE CUFFED TOGETHER!!!

 

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO?!"

 

"I SWEAR, THIS IS NOT MY FAULT!!! IF YOU HADN'T TACKLED ME BACK THERE, THEN NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!!!"

 

"YOU WERE ABOUT TO GET YOUR HEAD LOPPED OFF AND YOU'RE BLAMING THIS ON ME?! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US BOTH KILLED OR WHAT?!"

 

Seriously! WHAT A DUMB-ASS!! I'M SURROUNDED BY MOOKS!!! WHEN THE F*** WILL IT END?!?!

 

(A/N: NEVER~!!! >8D

 

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!!!

 

*thunder claps and lightning flashes*)

 

Oh, and that's not even the worst thing that happens...they start making fun of me by saying I'm in love with Robin, too!

 

"I saw it in your eyes," said Kaku. "Nico Robin clearly means a lot to you."

 

"I noticed it, too." the wolf guy agreed. "Apparently, his love for her burns like a thousand suns."

 

(A/N: Don't judge me.)

 

"WHERE IS THIS COMING FROM!?" I asked.

 

"Hey, we're not judging!" Kaku says. "After all, love is love, my friend."

 

"SHE JUST OWES ME 500 BERRIES!!!"

 

"Denial is a river in Egypt." he replied.

 

"That's just sad, bro." added the wolf guy. "But look...even though we're enemies, I think you should know you're not alone."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"I was once in love, like you. Her name was Gatherine...she was a waitress at a cafe I went to, one time...she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen...!"

 

"Actually, she looked like a horse."

 

"CAN IT, KAKU!!!"

 

"Uh, okay..."

 

"Anyway, turns out Gatherine never returned my feelings...but I guess...I wasn't good enough for her...!"

 

Next, the wolf-guy breaks down, sobbing.

 

"WHY, GATHERINE?!! I CAN CHANGE~!!!"

 

Kaku face-palmed, muttering, "Oy vey..."

 

   I actually wanted to do the same thing. First my crew says that I'm in love with Robin, now my enemies?! WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL?!! WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP SAYING THAT?! I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH ROBIN!!! I'M NOT, I TELL YOU!!! SHE JUST OWES ME 500 BERRIES!!!

 

Anyway, since Usopp and I were handcuffed together, I had to improvise. Here's what happened: I had to use him as one of my swords.

 

*the reader gives Zoro a funny look*

 

DON'T LOOK AT ME THAT WAY!! WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!?

 

Moving on. So, as I'm using Usopp as one of my swords, I say, "All right, Sniper King, just hold that posture. You are now a sword!"

 

"SOMEONE GET ME A LAWYER!!! THERE IS NO WAY I'M NOT GONNA SUE YOUR ASS OFF FOR THIS!!!"

 

"OH, CRY ME A RIVER!!! WHAT LAWYER WOULD WANNA REPRESENT A PIRATE!?"

 

(A/N: Fang- Maybe Phoenix Wright? XD)

 

As I was saying, I had to use Usopp as one of my swords. I called him "Nose Storm".

 

"That has got to be the lamest name for a sword ever."

 

"SHUT UP!!! I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU COME UP WITH A BETTER NAME!!!"

 

   So, I try to fight...and Sniper King kept getting his ass beat. Guess we're back to Plan A...if only we had a key to get these cuffs off. If Chopper didn't get it, I was about ready to chop off either mine or Usopp's hand.

 

"OH, GOD, NOT THAT!!!"

 

Tch! Whiner. Seriously, he puts on a mask and cape, and all of a sudden, he thinks he's a superhero! He's still the same punk bitch.

 

"I'M NO PUNK BITCH!!!"

 

"Sure you're not."

 

"I'M NOT!!!"

 

   Moving on, since using Usopp as a sword failed miserably, I had to wait for Chopper to get the key! Gotta say, this was a pain in the ass!!! It's bad enough that I'm handcuffed to Mr. "Sniper King" over here, now I gotta wait for us to be un-cuffed?! What. A load. Of Horses***.

 

   Eventually, Nami arrives with a key that is hopefully the one that can unlock our handcuffs. For the love of Pete, PLEASE let it be the right key! I can't take being cuffed to this idiot any longer!

 

   So Nami manages to unlock us, and after that, I resume my fight with Kaku. Well, this is a little after Chopper loses control for some reason...it's a long story. Anyhow, I fight with Kaku and it was not easy, let me tell you. For a guy who had just acquired his Devil Fruit powers, he was putting up a pretty good effort to keep me busy! He might've been one of the toughest opponents that I've ever faced! Even when he was screwing around and making up attacks on the fly! Jeez! What an idiot!! He makes Luffy look smart in comparison! I swear, that Leopard guy, Lucci, is probably the only smart one in CP9!

 

   As we were fighting, I overheard something about a Buster Call coming to the island. Robin said something about it, earlier. Said it was capable of destroying a whole island. If that was the case, then we had to save her and get the hell out of Enies Lobby as soon as possible! Though first, I had to deal with Giraffe Boy here!

 

"Technically, he's a Giraffe Man."

 

"Oh, whatever!"

 

   Anyway, as we're fighting, "Sniper King" almost dies at the hands of that wolf man. Luckily, the cook saves him in the nick of time. So, while I'm fighting Kaku, I felt this...energy. I can't really explain it, but...it made me feel stronger. So much so, that I actually felt like...like...like a real demon. And...it felt awesome. My own animal instincts were mixed in with this feeling that I had, and it made me more wild than ever! I actually had the Giraffe Guy scared.

 

As I'm fighting him, the dude morphs into a f***ing square.

 

"There's no blind spots...on a square." he says.

 

"SO WHAT?!" I yell. "IF YOU CAN'T MOVE, WHO CARES?!"

 

Oh, boy, was I wrong...

 

   Next thing I know, I get hit by falling blades! Hurt like Hell! I got cut all over my arms! And on my tail! THAT PART HURT THE MOST!!! After that, he uses his nose pistol on me and I barely had time to block it! Now he's just playing hard ball! If that's how he's wants to go, then so be it!

 

I sheathed _Yubashiri_ and _Kitetsu III_ and unsheathe _Wado Ichimonji_.

 

"If you're a swordsmen, then let your blades speak for you!"

 

"Hmm?" Kaku hums. "What do you mean?"

 

   He thought I was trying to get under his skin, when I was planning on cutting right through it. I was also going to cut through his Iron Body technique.

 

"One Sword Style, sword draw...Lion's...SONG!!!"

 

That should do it!

 

...At least, that's what I thought. Damn. Of course it wouldn't be easy.

 

"Iron Body isn't the issue," he says. "if you can't cut me at all, then it doesn't matter if my body's iron or not."

 

"...You're right. I'll have to take a different approach."

 

So, I take a deep breath, exhale, and dish out another technique of mine. First, I make my arms huge.

 

"One gorilla...! Two gorilla...!"

 

I held my swords up over my shoulders.

 

"Now, again...Three Sword Style...Two Gorilla Slash!"

 

You'd think that one would get him, right? Well, it sort of did.

 

"You never thought you might lose, did you?" I ask him. "You can't even imagine that I might be stronger than you. Well, it's time to wake up! I'll make you face the truth!"

 

  And I was dead serious, too! Soon, Mr. Giraffe starts getting serious for real. About damn time. He then breaks out a new move that he calls the "Giraffe Cannon". He pulls in his neck and makes it all short, but then his legs and arms go long.

 

"Dammit!" he shouts. "I pushed my neck in so far, that it made my arms and legs pop out!"

 

"What kind of messed up body have you got?!" I asked.

 

Seriously! What is wrong with this idiot?!

 

"It's like when you cram dough through a little hole and it comes out as noodles," he says. "like a pasta machine."

 

(A/N: I could go for some pasta, right now. ^^ )

 

Next, he stands up, saying, "Pasta Machine!"

 

"Don't act like you did that on purpose!" I shout.

 

   Like I said, WHAT A MORON!!! Soon, the dumbass breaks out a "new" attack, calling it, "Giraffe Blast". When I say "new", I mean that IT'S THE SAME ATTACK THAT HE USED BEFORE!!! Know what?! F*** this s***!

 

"Three Sword Style...Tatsu... MAKI!!!"

 

   Still does nothing! Then, he goes back up the hole that was make from my Tatsumaki and at first, I thought that he was running away, but he was actually getting his swords. THAT'S when he starts getting serious and he actually managed to push me back a little.

 

"Even if you have the power of a wild animal..." I said, clashing blades with him. "even if you can attack with that long neck of yours...even if you can use the Four Sword Style...none of those things will give you the strength it takes to defeat me."

 

"Hmph!" he scoffs. "You're all talk. If you think you can take me down, then let's see what you've got."

 

Soon, we start clashing blades, again. This time, I managed to actually hit him.

 

"Oh, come on. Don't look so surprised." I spoke. "The way you fight, I find it hard to believe that you've been touched by my blade."

 

   About time I managed to land a hit. Next, he dishes out these Tempest Kick shuriken at me, which I barely managed to block with my swords, and then he hits me right in the gut with that nose of his!

 

   If you think that was bad, then listen to this. First, he whips his neck around twice, using his head as a hammer on me. Second, he does the same thing, only a lot faster. Third, we clash blades again and he was so fast, that I could barely keep up! He managed to get some hits on me in the process. Then, he goes on about how we won't get away with defying the Government and that a crime that the only fate that awaits us is death.

 

"The same goes for your girlfriend, Nico Robin!"

 

That's when I snapped.

 

"You bastard..." I hissed. "Your mouth just crossed the line. Now, you're gonna pay, you arrogant freak."

 

"Oh, did I offend you?" he asked. "Well, if you're tired of hearing me talk, I'll just end this now with the same move that crippled this tower."

 

So, as he's getting ready to use that Tempest Kick of his again, I stood there.

 

"Yeah, you're right...it is the end of the line...for you, at least."

 

As I said this...I felt that same feeling again and at that moment, I developed a new ability...

 

"Demon Aura...Nine-Sword Style...Ashura!"

 

I felt like I grew two extra faces and four extra arms. Made me feel even more like a demon...especially now that I'm pissed beyond Hell!

 

He sends his Sky Slicer at me and I cut right through it...and he's next.

 

"You did well. I commend you." I tell him. "Suffering is welcome on the path to bloodshed!"

 

In that instant...I cut him down.

 

"Ashura...SILVER MIST!!!"

 

After I cut him down, I gave him the message Paulie wanted me to deliver: "You're all fired."

 

"...Fired, huh?" he asks. "Too bad...assassination skills doesn't really come in handy in other lines of work."

 

"You can always get a job at the zoo." I suggested. "Giraffes are pretty popular there."

 

He seemed to smile, despite his pain. At that moment, he took out his key.

 

"Take it." he said.

 

He passed out, soon after. Another one bites the dust.

 

"Dun-dun-dun! Da-da-dun-da-dun!"

 

"Luffy, don't start."

 

"Oh, c'mon! Please~? Just this one time, and then I won't bother you anymore."

 

"Oh, okay...it does seem to fit."

 

"I know, right?! Okay, hang on a second."

 

*Luffy clears his throat*

 

Luffy (singing): _"Dun-dun-dun! Da-da-da-dun-da-dun!_  
                       Dun-dun-dun! Da-da-da-dun-da-dun!  
                       And another one gone, and another one gone!  
                       Another one bites the dust!  
                       Hey, he's gonna get you too!  
                       Another one bites the dust!"

 

"You done?"

 

"Yep! Thank you!"

 

"Don't mention it."

 

Afterwards, the cook shows up.

 

"Hey, Moss-head!" he shouts. "Did you get a key?"

 

"Yeah, just now."

 

"Then, what are you doing, standing here?! We're running out of time!"

 

"Oh, right! Let's go!"

 

"...THIS WAY, YOU DUMB-ASS!!!"

 

"D'OH!!!"

 

Dammit, why does this keep happening!? Whatever, time to save Robin!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy, everyone.


	19. Part XIX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Robin is finally free of her bonds._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XIX**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own the greatness that is One Piece. This series belongs to the awesome Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

   Here I am, still being dragged away to the Gates of Justice. What's worse, the Buster Call is on its way, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it. What's just as worse is that I have to listen to Spandam's incessant rambling!

 

It's always "I'm going down in history!" this and "You're finished, Nico Robin!" that!

 

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I THINK I'M GOING ABSOLUTELY INSANE!!!

 

I decided that I couldn't take anymore, shoved the bastard, and made a run for it.

 

_'Luffy and the others should be on the other side...!'_ I thought. _'If I can just get to them, I could--'_

 

*Robin trips*

 

"AAAAAH!!!"

 

_'Dammit...!'_

 

   I can't believe this! Everyone's so close, and yet I can't even get to them!!! And Spandam's trying his damnedest to lead me to my demise!!! He was even dragging me up the stairs by my hair! He could've broken my neck! It was so humiliating! All the while, he still kept going on and on about how he was going to get a promotion for taking me past the gates and I had to listen to all of his insults. My god, I wish I was deaf! Or at least had some ear plugs handy.

 

   As he kept pulling me up the stairs, I tried running away again, but Spandam used his Elephant sword on me, pinning me against the wall. It really hurt. I was lucky it didn't stab me!

 

   Anyway, Spandam grabs me by my hair and resumes dragging me up the stairs. Need I remind you that he could have broken my neck!? If not, I'll remind you again.

 

HE COULD HAVE BROKEN MY NECK!!!

 

I can't wait til these damn handcuffs are off...once they are, I'm going to make Spandam wish he was never born! Mark my words!

 

Eventually, we make it to the bridge leading to the Gates of Justice. Oh, god...oh, god, I'm starting to panic, now!

 

Once I go passed those gates...game over for me!!!

 

"NO!!!" I shout.

 

   There is no way in Hell I'm going through those gates! At that moment, I did something I never thought I'd do. I pulled my head away so hard, I actually ripped out some of my hair!

 

   I didn't care about how much it hurt, all I cared about was going back to Luffy and the others! Seeing those gates made me realize how much I didn't want to die!

 

_'I don't want to die...!'_ I thought. _'I don't want to die! I want to live!'_

 

"GET BACK HERE!!" Spandam yells.

 

   I just kept running, but then I tripped. I guess it's because I'm still injured. I mean, look at my head, for crying out loud! Despite my injuries, I had to keep going.

 

   I tried to get back up, though Spandam grabbed me and tried to pull me again. I refused to go, so I bit down on the bridge. He started hitting me again, yet I wouldn't let go.

 

"WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO FACE THE FACTS?!! NO ONE IS COMING FOR YOU!!! JUST GIVE UP AND ACCEPT YOUR FATE, NICO ROBIN!!!"

 

   I don't believe him for a second...I know that Luffy and everyone else will save me. I just know it!!! Not only that, but I have to tell Zoro how I feel about him! And I have to know how he really feels about me! That's another reason why I can't die now! I CAN'T, DAMMIT!!!

 

Unfortunately, the thing I'm most afraid of is that he'll just reject me...

 

No...no, I can't think like that! Not at a time like this!!! I have to get out of here!!!

 

_'I still believe in you...!'_ I thought. _'I still believe in you...Luffy...Zoro...everyone!!'_

 

   Spandam managed to make me loose my grip. And after that, as he was dragging me back to the Gates, he reveals something shocking to me...

 

"You know my father, Spandine? Well, he was the previous chief of CP9 and the very same man who invoked that Buster Call, 20 years ago!"

 

I gasp.

 

   Next, Spandam went on about how his father was the one who had that bounty placed on my head and how he knew about all of the people who tried selling me out during the 20 years that I've spent running from the government.

 

It was his fault. It was all his fault!

 

   My whole life...I've been living on the run because of him!! He's the one who made me this way!!! Now, his son is the who is one haunting me! Damn, damn, DAMN!!

 

He even had the nerve to say that Ohara is dead! It is NOT dead, do you hear me?!

 

"OHARA WON'T DIE, SO LONG AS I LIVE!!!"

 

(A/N: DAMN STRAIGHT!!!)

 

   Now...just when it looked like I was about to meet my doom...Spandam was suddenly shot right in the face! I was shocked...who could snipe from such a distance?!

 

...Unless...

 

"Usopp...?"

 

I looked out...but it's so far, I could barely see who it was...although, I didn't have to see.

 

I knew...I knew who had saved me!

 

"Usopp!" I cried, happily.

 

Thank god!!! I knew that I would be saved.

 

"Don't anyone just stand there! Grab Nico Robin before she gets away!!"

 

Wait...that's right! What am I doing here?! This is no time to be overjoyed, I have to escape!

 

   I stand up and run, only the marines were about to shoot me down. I thought that I was done for...until, out of nowhere...Franky appeared and took the bullets for me! At first, I thought he was trying to get himself killed, however...the bullets just fell right off him!

 

"Bullets are no problem when you're made of iron," he said. "but that landmine wasn't very nice, Spanda."

 

"Cutty Flam?!" Spandam questioned.

 

At that moment, I hear Usopp's voice on a mini-transponder snail.

 

**"Franky! The keys! Use the keys!!"**

 

"Keys?" Franky repeated. "What keys?!"

 

**"The keys to Robin's handcuffs! Hang on! I'll send them to you!!"**

 

   Usopp managed to send the keys over to our location. Once he did, Franky got to work trying to free me. The first key didn't work. The second key didn't, either. The third key also didn't, and neither did the fourth, though once he used the fifth key...

 

***Click!***

 

...Oh, my god...am I dreaming?

 

(A/N: Fang- No, you're not, Robin. No, you're not.)

 

I'm free...?

 

(A/N: HALLELUJAH!!!)

 

*Robin starts laughing*

 

I'm free!! I'M FREE~!!!

 

*Robin then notices the reader giving her a weird look*

 

What? You'd probably do the same thing if you were me, right now!

 

*awkward silence*

 

Whatever. Anyway, I thank Usopp for shooting at Spandam and now that I'm free...I can finally deliver some payback!

 

"Now, Seis Fleur!" I shouted. "SLAP!!!"

 

I used my powers to smack the crap out of Spandam.

 

(A/N: That'll teach him to beat up on a defenseless lady. XC)

 

"I've been waiting a long time to do this."

 

(A/N: So have we, honey. So have we.)

 

I'll make him feel TWICE as much pain as I did! And that's a promise. He made me suffer and I won't rest until he does, as well!

 

(A/N: Amen.)

 

Eventually, the marines went after us. At first, I thought I had to take them all on by myself...but then...

 

"ROBIN~!!!"

 

"Eh?"

 

I turn...and I see...

 

"Zoro?!"

 

Oh, my god...! He...he really came! For me! I can't stop crying, because I'm so happy!

 

"ROBIN, GET DOWN!!! NOW!!!"

 

I don't hesitate to drop to the ground. Then, as soon as I'm down, Zoro rushes by and cuts down the Marines that are charging towards me!

 

At that moment, the others had arrived. Nami and Chopper were especially glad to see me. They proved it by hugging me a little too hard.

 

"Robin!! Are you okay?!" Nami asks.

 

"I'm fine! Thanks to you all!!" I answer. "Wait...where's Luffy?!"

 

"Oh, yeah!" Franky answered. "He's fighting Lucci as we speak!!"

 

"What?!" I asked. "Is he insane?!!"

 

"That's what I asked myself when I first met him," Nami says. "but, don't worry. Luffy can pull it off! He always does!"

 

She's right. Even when the odds appear to be against him, Luffy always manages to beat them!

 

   In fact...we all managed to beat the odds. Everyone defeated the rest of CP9, so now it was just Luffy and Lucci. All we could do was hope. Oh, and fight for our lives, since right now, we're completely surrounded. At least now, I can fight them, since those damn sea prism stone handcuffs are off. They better get ready for hell.

 

"Treinte Fleur...CLUTCH!!!"

 

***KRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKK!!!***

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGHH!!"

 

   I said before that I'm not a sadist, nevertheless after all the crap these bastards have put me through for the past 20 years, I do deserve to get violent towards them, JUST THIS ONCE!!!

 

(A/N: Exactly.)

 

And I'm not going to let them capture me again!

 

(A/N: That's right.)

 

   As we're fighting, we hear Usopp cheering Luffy on. Evidently, Luffy was grievously injured during his fight with Lucci. It almost looked like he was about to die.

 

   I was really worried and so was Nami, which isn't surprising, since she and Luffy are dating. In fact, Usopp almost goaded Lucci into a fight, himself!

 

_'Is he nuts?!'_ I thought. _'He'll get us all killed!!'_

 

Luffy, please get up! Please, please, PLEASE!!!

 

Suddenly, we hear Luffy yelling...but in a good way. It meant he got a second wind.

 

"FINISH HIM!!!" Usopp shouts. "THEN, WE CAN ALL LEAVE THIS PLACE TOGETHER~!!!"

 

And then we hear Luffy roar, "I'LL WIN, NO MATTER WHAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!"

 

   In that instant, we all start fighting again, our spirits just as renewed as our captain's! Not long after that, we hear this crash...and an announcement that Lucci had been defeated!

 

Everyone cheered. At that moment...I hear his voice.

 

"WE CAN ALL GO BACK NOW~!!! ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBIIIIIIIIIN!!!"

 

*sniffles*

 

I-I'm sorry...but I can't help crying, right now...I'm just so happy...! Luffy...Thank you...Thank you so much...! God bless you!!!

 

*sobs*

 

(A/N: Okay, we're gonna give Robin a minute, cuz she deserves it.

 

Let it out, Robin. Let it out. ^^

 

Yeah. ^^

 

...This might take a minute. So, we will play something light-hearted for all of you. ^^

 

Cue lighthearted music!

 

*plays light-hearted music*

 

...Oh, look! Robin's done! Back to the story!)

 

*Robin wipes her tears away*

 

   Sorry about that. Now then, after Luffy defeated Lucci, we were prepared to board our only means of escape: the escort ship, when all of a sudden...it exploded! It was the marines' doing...the Buster Call was here. They even destroyed most of the bridge, cornering us!

 

   Damn. My worst nightmare's happening again...even worse, Luffy can't move! He overworked his body while he was fighting! I can't believe this is happening...I'm finally free, but now there's no way out!

 

...Well...if I'm going to die here...there's one more thing I should do!

 

"Zoro!!"

 

"Huh? What is it?!"

 

"...There's something I need to tell you!"

 

"What? What do you wanna tell me?"

 

"Zoro...I...I...!"

 

"Yeah? What is it, Robin?!"

 

"Zoro, I--!"

 

"Wait! Everyone, listen!!"

 

Great...Usopp just HAD to interrupt everything!

 

(A/N: Yeah, thanks a lot, Usopp. XC)

 

"Guys...don't you hear that?! A voice!"

 

A...a voice? I don't hear a--

 

_"Look down!"_

 

...Look down? Who's saying that?

 

"Do you hear it, now?!"

 

"I...I hear it, too!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

_"Hurry...to the sea!"_ the voice exclaims.

 

The sea? Well...whoever this is, I hope they're right! I used my powers to move Luffy towards the ocean, and as we all jump down, we see...

 

"MERRY~!!!"

 

(A/N: Usopp.)

 

   Oh, my goodness...! How did the _Going Merry_ even get here?! Oh, it doesn't matter! All that matters is that we're all together and we're leaving this hellhole!!

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

Okay, there's no time to lose. Robin's life is at stake here!

 

   Just got through beating that crazy giraffe, now all I gotta do is get this key to her! Eventually, the cook and I meet up with the others. For some reason, Chopper is out cold. How'd that happen?

 

"You don't wanna know."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Okay."

 

   Anyway, while on our way to deliver the keys to Robin, we came across a bit of a problem. The tunnel we were in was flooding! Damn that cowardly snake, Spandam! Must've known we were following him! I swear, if I ever get my paws on him, I'll wring his damned neck!!!

 

*Zoro seethes*

 

I...I just can't...ARRRGH!!! GOD!!!

 

"Zoro! Calm down!!"

 

(A/N: Nami again.)

 

"Don't you tell me to calm down! That son of a bitch has Robin! I can't just stand by and do nothing!!"

 

"Look, I hate this as much as you do, but we have to focus on getting out of here!"

 

***SPLASH!!!***

 

"What was that?"

 

"That would be about thousands of gallons of water, coming to drown us all to death."

 

(A/N: "Sniper King".)

 

Sure enough, here it comes. To think, I would end up going out like this!

 

"You never even got to tell Robin how you feel about her, too!"

 

"Shut up, Nami!"

 

"Oh, will you just swallow your damned pride and admit it, already?!"

 

"NEVER!!! I'LL NEVER SAY IT!!!"

 

"...All right, you know what?! I give up! You win, Zoro!! Enjoy your sad, lonely, and pathetic life!!!"

 

"Don't worry, cuz I WILL!!!"

 

   Finally! I thought she'd never stop pestering me. Anyway, we're all hit with a giant wave of water, and everything just goes black...though, when we wake up...we saw the strangest thing.

 

It was...it was...

 

"A DUGONG~?!!!"

 

Actually, it was Old Lady Kokoro...and she's a mermaid.

 

One...ugly-looking mermaid.

 

"Zoro, don't be rude!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Why not?! We're all thinking it!"

 

"It's still not nice!"

 

"Nice? NICE?! LOOK AT HER!!!! SHE'S LIKE A FREAKING SEA COW!!! EVEN THE COOK THINKS SO!!!!! HE'S STILL THROWING UP OVER THERE!!!!!"

 

*Sanji is heard puking*

 

"YOU THINK THAT'S NICE?!"

 

"No...however, I'm still grateful to her for saving us!"

 

"Well, yeah but--"

 

"Butts are for saddles!!"

 

"Nami!"

 

"What?! They are! And I'm not taking it back!!"

 

*Zoro groans*

 

"Whatever."

 

   Moving on. We all thank Old Lady Kokoro and we see Robin is already crossing the bridge! Dammit, we'll never get there in time to get the keys to her! ...Unless...

 

"Hey, Sniper King!"

 

"Hmm?"

 

"There's something I want you do to!"

 

"What is it?"

 

"First off...snipe out those guards!"

 

"Roger!"

 

And that's just what he did.

 

"BAM!!! Eat that! Our sniper's No. 1!!! Aha ha ha ha!!! Serves you right, bastards!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"Dude, tone it down a bit."

 

"What?! You'd be doing the same if you were me!"

 

"I wouldn't be acting as silly."

 

"Oh, screw you! Freakin' Moss Head."

 

   Anyhoo, we see Robin trying to get away, but that damned Spandam keeps trying to go after her! Dammit! Doesn't he ever quit?! What's worse is that he has his men shoot at her! How low is this gonna bastard gonna sink?! Before those bullets could even hit her, Franky shows up in the nick of time!

 

Oh, did I mention there was landmine on the bridge that should've killed him? No? Well, there was. He survived, though.

 

   In any event, now there were only two things left to do: first off, get those keys to Robin, and second, get to her before the Marines get her first!

 

   So, Usopp calls him via transponder snail and tells him about the keys. Next, he sends them over to his and Robin's location. While Franky's unlocking her cuffs, we make our way over to Robin, next.

 

_'Hang on, Robin...!'_

 

I don't know how...but I managed to get there in time!

 

"Zoro! You didn't get lost this time!"

 

"SHUT UP, NAMI!!!"

 

"His love for Miss Robin must have guided him in the right direction!"

 

(A/N: Sniper King.)

 

"I SAID SHUT UP!!!"

 

"AAH!!!"

 

   Wimp. Moving on, once I got there...I saw that Robin had gotten free from her cuffs, and some Marines were heading right towards her...so I did the only thing I could do...

 

"ROBIN~!!!"

 

She looked really glad to see me.

 

"ROBIN, GET DOWN!!! NOW!!!"

 

   The moment I said that, she ducks down just in time...because I cut through those Marine slime-balls like a hot knife through butter. By then, the others make it over. Once we do...it was time for us to unleash hell.

 

"Three Sword Style...TASTU MAKI!!!"

 

Blew those bastards away without breaking a sweat. Seriously, these soldiers are a freaking joke!

 

   Except for this one guy...His name was Shu. Now he looked like he was a challenge. And he proved it when he turned _Yubashiri_ to rust. I can't believe he did that!

 

   As it turns out, he ate a Devil Fruit: apparently one that rusts any metal the guy touches. He would've done the same thing to _Kitetsu III_ and _Wado Ichimonji_ , including myself, had it not been for Sniper King.

 

Still...I can't believe I lost one of the best swords in the world!

 

(A/N: If only you knew, Zoro.)

 

   I guess it's a small price to pay...after all...at least we got Robin back, but now there's another problem. Luffy's still fighting that leopard guy! Damn it all....! And to make matters worse, it looks like Luffy's losing, and if he loses, none of us are getting outta here!

 

   Next, Usopp decides to drop the facade for a moment and calls out to Luffy. I gotta say, that took guts, especially after what he did back on Water 7. Which I am still pissed off about. When we get back to Water 7, I'm gonna have to give him the chewing out of a lifetime!

 

   In any event, at least he was cheering him on. I guess this means they're still friends, despite what happened. That, and Luffy managed to beat Lucci. But now, there were two more problems: first off, our only escape ship blew up because a Marine battleship destroyed it, and second, Luffy exhausted himself so much, he couldn't move!

 

Dammit, I can't believe our luck!! Can this get any worse?!

 

"Zoro!!"

 

"Huh? What is it?!"

 

"...There's something I need to tell you!"

 

"What? What do you wanna tell me?"

 

"Zoro...I...I...!"

 

"Yeah? What is it, Robin?!"

 

"Zoro, I--!"

 

"Wait! Everyone, listen!!"

 

Oh, what does Usopp want now?!

 

"Guys...don't you hear that?! A voice!"

 

"What voice?! I don't hear a--"

 

_"Look down!"_

 

What the...? Who said that?!

 

"Do you hear it, now?!"

 

"I...I hear it, too!"

 

_"Hurry...to the sea!"_

 

The sea? Well...whoever this is, he or she must know what they're doing!

 

So, after Robin grabs Luffy, we all jump off the bridge...and imagine our surprise...when we saw the _Going Merry_ right down below!

 

_"I've come to take you all home!"_

 

   I can't believe it! I thought the Merry would never sail again, yet here she is! The question is...how did she even get here?! It looked like there was no one sailing her at all!

 

Ah, who cares?! All that matters is that we got Robin back and we're outta here!

 

SO LONG, ENIES LOBBY!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES!!! FINALLY!!! Robin's free!
> 
>  
> 
> We also learn something about Old Lady Kokoro.;)
> 
>  
> 
> Not only that, but a very important friend appears! :D
> 
>  
> 
> Please enjoy Part XIX.


	20. Part XX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Merry's funeral..._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XX**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This heart-wrenching series belongs to Ze Amazing Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Well, here we are on the _Going Merry_ and we're currently escaping from Enies Lobby. So, while we're aboard Merry, I thank everyone.

 

"Yeah, that's nice, but save the sappy stuff til after we've escaped." Zoro spoke.

 

Then, Sanji and Chopper started attacking him.

 

"HOW DARE YOU, MOSS-HEAD!! YOU TAKE THAT BACK, YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!!!"

 

"YEAH, YOU BASTARD!!!"

 

"IF WE SIT AROUND, WE'RE JUST GONNA END UP DEAD, STUPID!!!"

 

"I DON'T CARE, APOLOGIZE TO ROBIN!!!"

 

"YEAH!!!"

 

*Robin sighs*

 

Oh, well.

 

   I may be free, but the nightmare's not entirely over, yet. There's still the Buster Call. What's worse, Luffy still can't move. I'm not surprised, considering he fought so hard, and even more unsurprising, he still wants to fight.

 

Nami was against it, no surprise there. Zoro and Sanji were, too.

 

"You're damn right we were! HE COULD BARELY MOVE, FOR THE GREAT CEILING CAT'S SAKE!!!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"I still don't believe in that Cat God and I agree with her!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"Can we PLEASE focus?! There are battleships shooting at us!!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"Oh. Right."

 

(A/N: Nami and Zoro.)

 

In any event, Zoro and Sanji used Luffy as a tarp to bounce the cannonballs back.

 

...why they did this, I will never know.

 

*Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji hold up the victory sign*

 

"YOU PEOPLE ARE MONSTERS!!!" Usopp shouts.

 

*Robin chuckles*

 

   Either way, thanks to Sanji's quick thinking, he actually used the Gates of Justice against the Marines by creating whirlpools with them. See, with the Gates open, they interfered with the current. Now that they're closed (thank god), the Marines are now caught in the whirlpools they create. Only makes it easier for us. Eventually, we finally do manage to get away.

 

Even so, before we left...there was one thing I wanted to do.

 

"CLUTCH!!!"

 

I used my powers on Spandam and broke that bastard's spine. Try terrorizing someone when you can't even walk, you rat!!!

 

(A/N: Yeah!

 

Fang- You said it, Robin!)

 

*Robin takes a deep breath and exhales*

 

_'Mother...Saul...Professor Clover...you can all rest easier, now!'_

 

(A/N: Hai. :') )

 

As we're all leaving this wretched place, I turn to look at Zoro, and he looks at me.

 

   For some reason...the atmosphere seemed a bit...awkward between us. I didn't understand why, though. Probably because of what I nearly said back on the Bridge of Hesitation.

 

Well...I guess nothing's stopping us, now.

 

"Umm...Zoro?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"There's something that I've been meaning to tell you."

 

"What is it?"

 

"Well...we've spent a lot time together and...well, I know at first, you didn't trust me...but, how about now?"

 

"Now?"

 

"Mm-hmm."

 

He scratches the back of his head and chewed his lip.

 

"Now...well...I guess. I mean...if I didn't, I wouldn't have come with the others to save you, right?"

 

I smile.

 

"Yeah."

 

"Robin!"

 

We glance down and we see Chopper.

 

"What is it, Chopper?"

 

"Did you pay Zoro back, yet?"

 

"Pay him back?"

 

"Yeah, he kept saying that you owed him 500 berries."

 

"I don't owe him 500 berries."

 

"Well, that's what he keeps saying because everyone keeps saying he's in love with you."

 

"D'OH!!"

 

"Eh...?"

 

"GODDAMMIT, CHOPPER!!!" Zoro shouted. "WHY'D YOU GOTTA GO AND TELL HER THAT?!"

 

Oh, my god...he's...really in love with me?

 

"Zoro...you're in love with me?" I ask.

 

He looks at me with Chopper's throat in his paws and Nami was trying to make him let go.

 

"Uhh...well, I..." he muttered. "...y...yeah."

 

I covered my mouth as tears began to form in my eyes.

 

"Gah! Robin, I'm sorry!" he cried. "I didn't mean to make you cry!"

 

   I don't say anything. I just walk up to him and planted a kiss on his left cheek. He was redder than a tomato. The others were watching and they all said, "Aww~."

 

Afterwards, I tell Zoro, "Thank you for coming along with everyone else to save me."

 

"...Don't mention it." Zoro replied, scratching his cheek with a claw.

 

Later, Luffy has Kokoro help him up on Merry's figurehead.

 

"Thank you, Merry, we never would've made it if you weren't there." he spoke. "I was pretty surprised when you showed up, but when I think about it, you've always been there to protect us. We've always counted on you. Anyway, I'm just happy you've been part of the team, Merry. You're a good friend to have."

 

After saying this, Franky notes how the government won't let everyone else off so easily after burning their flag.

 

"It doesn't feel like a big deal to me," Luffy told him. "the only reason I did any of that was because they took our friend and we wanted her back."

 

   Hearing that made me smile. Next, he tells Franky that he's grateful to him for helping out back at Enies Lobby. He then declares that this fight is our victory, to which we all cheer.

 

   Later on, as we're sailing back to Water 7, Usopp decides to put that odd mask back on and Luffy and Chopper thought that he left...apparently, they don't know that Sniper King and Usopp are the same person. Although, I'm sure he'll tell them when he thinks they're ready...I hope.

 

(A/N: Don't count on it, baby.

 

Fang- Nope.)

 

   While on our way back to the City of Water, we were all wondering who was really calling us to the sea. Luffy claimed that it was Merry, but the others were a bit skeptical about that. I, on the other hand, thought he might've been right.

 

   Think about it, Usopp claimed he saw a ghost on the Merry when we were in Skypiea. That ghost could've been Merry's spirit. Even Franky agreed with Usopp. Said it was called a Klabautermann.

 

   This is a tale passed down through sailor after sailor, that when a ship is well taken care of, a Klabautermann will appear and repair it for the owner. However...this was also considered a bad omen. We would soon find out why.

 

   Later on, we meet up with Iceberg and the rest of Galley-La. I wondered what happened to him. Most likely CP9's doing, not surprising. I was just glad he was alive.

 

Unfortunately, mine and everyone else's happiness was short-lived...

 

   All too quickly...the Merry suddenly broke apart, right down to the middle. Luffy almost fell off, too. This is what I meant earlier...about why seeing a Klabautermann is a bad omen. And now...this was the result.

 

Poor Merry...she pushed herself too far for us. Luffy begged Iceberg to help her...and he had only one suggestion.

 

"Let her go."

 

After a moment of silence, Luffy answered, "I understand. Okay."

 

Soon, we all disembarked from the Merry and stood, side-by-side, on a boat. Luffy stood before us...holding a torch in his hand.

 

"Are we all ready?" he asks.

 

"Yeah." Sanji answers.

 

Luffy holds the torch to Merry.

 

"Merry, I know the bottom of the sea is a dark and lonely place," he said. "but we're all her to see you off."

 

He then set her ablaze.

 

"I'm sure you wish he was here, but it's probably best that Usopp isn't around. I don't know if he could take this."

 

"Well?" Zoro asked Usopp. "Is that true?"

 

"Of course, it isn't. We must all say our farewells, someday. Every man knows that." he answered. "We must hold back our tears. Luffy knows what has to be done."

 

We all watched as Merry burned.

 

"Thank you for carrying us for so long and for so far, Merry." Luffy says.

 

Soon, snow began to fall. It was odd, considering the fact that we were nowhere near a winter island...plus, it was glowing.

 

I didn't question it, though. All I did...was reminisce on the time I spent on that adorable little ship.

 

_"I'm sorry."_

 

...That voice again...!

 

_"I wanted to carry everyone just a little bit longer...! I had so much fun...I wish our adventures would never end...!"_

 

By this point, Nami, Chopper, Usopp, and Franky were crying. Even I started to tear up.

 

_"But, I'm sorry I can--"_

 

"No, Merry! If anyone should apologize, it's us, not you! I'm not good at steering! I ran you into icebergs and all kinds of stuff! I took bad care of you and ripped your sails! " Luffy shouts. "Zoro and Sanji are idiots, too! They were breaking your stuff all the time! Usopp tried to fix you, but he wasn't any good at it! We all know that! If anyone's sorry, it's...it's us!"

 

It wasn't long before Luffy started crying, too.

 

_"I don't mind. I was happy. I know you always treated me with love. Thank you. Even if the time we spent was short, I'm glad that I could spend it with you."_

 

...Merry. You can rest, now.

 

"MERRY~!!!!"

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

Well, we finally got Robin outta that place, but it's not over yet! Before that, Robin thanks us.

 

"Yeah, that's nice, but save the sappy stuff til after we've escaped." I said.

 

Out of nowhere, the cook and Chopper start attacking me!

 

"HOW DARE YOU, MOSS-HEAD!! YOU TAKE THAT BACK, YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!!!"

 

"YEAH, YOU BASTARD!!!"

 

"IF WE SIT AROUND, WE'RE JUST GONNA END UP DEAD, STUPID!!!"

 

"I DON'T CARE, APOLOGIZE TO ROBIN!!!"

 

"YEAH!!!"

 

Jeez, I was only speaking my mind!!!

 

"That's your biggest flaw, Zoro!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Yeah!!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"SHUT UP!!! NOBODY ASKED YOU!!!"

 

*Zoro sighs*

 

   As I was saying earlier, we may have Robin back, but we weren't out of the woods, yet. Luffy still couldn't move and he wanted to fight. Naturally, Nami was against it.

 

"You can barely move!!"

 

"I don't care, I still wanna fight!"

 

"Listen to your girlfriend and go take a nap!!!" I told him.

 

"You go take a nap!" he responds. "You always take naps!!"

 

Can't argue with that. Anyhoo, the cook and I use Luffy as a tarp to send the cannonballs right back at the marines.

 

*the reader gives Zoro a funny look*

 

Don't look at me like that!!! What else were we supposed to do?! I mean, seriously!

 

Afterwards, we flash the victory sign.

 

"YOU PEOPLE ARE MONSTERS!!!" Usopp shouts.

 

Maybe we are.

 

(A/N: Which is why y'all are the Monster Trio. ^^)

 

Anyway, thanks to the cook, we were all able to make it out of Enies Lobby.

 

"You're welcome, Moss Head."

 

"Yeah, yeah."

 

   Right before leaving, Robin used her powers on Spandam and broke his spine in half. Honestly, I'm glad she did it. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that that son of a bitch beat the living daylights out of her! I mean, look at her! Her forehead was bleeding, for f***'s sake! If I could, I'd go back over there and kick his ass myself!

 

Still...he was Robin's enemy more than he was ours. If anything, she deserved that right. And who am I to interfere with her fight?

 

As we're leaving, Robin looks at me and I look back at her. I gotta say, it was pretty awkward. I mean...what could we say to each other, now?

 

"Umm...Zoro?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"There's something that I've been meaning to tell you."

 

"What is it?"

 

"Well...we've spent a lot time together and...well, I know at first, you didn't trust me...but, how about now?"

 

"Now?"

 

"Mm-hmm."

 

I scratched the back of my head and chewed my lip, thinking of what else I could say.

 

"Now...well...I guess. I mean...if I didn't, I wouldn't have come with the others to save you, right?"

 

She smiles.

 

"Yeah."

 

I guess I said the right thing, then.

 

"Robin!"

 

We glance down and we see Chopper. I wonder what he wants.

 

"What is it, Chopper?" Robin asked.

 

"Did you pay Zoro back, yet?" he asked her.

 

"Pay him back?"

 

"Yeah, he kept saying that you owed him 500 berries."

 

"I don't owe him 500 berries."

 

"Well, that's what he keeps saying because everyone keeps saying he's in love with you."

 

"D'OH!!"

 

For F****'S SAKE!!! I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH HER!!! SHE REALLY DOES OWE ME 500 BERRIES!!!

 

"GODDAMMIT, CHOPPER!!!" I shouted. "WHY'D YOU GOTTA GO AND TELL HER THAT?!"

 

I'M GONNA KILL THAT LITTLE S***!!!

 

*Zoro is choking Chopper*

 

"AAAAH!! HELP!!!"

 

"DAMMIT, ZORO, LEAVE CHOPPER ALONE!!!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"YOU STAY OUTTA THIS, NAMI!!!"

 

*Nami tries to get Zoro to let Chopper go, yet he refuses to loosen his grip*

 

"Zoro...you're in love with me?" Robin asks.

 

Oh, boy, here it comes.

 

"Uhh...well, I...y...yeah."

 

There. I admitted it. I'm in love with Robin! Ya happy!?

 

"Immensely."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"What she said."

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"Now that I've said it, do you promise to stay off my back, already?!"

 

"...we will make no such promises."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Dammit."

 

So, after I finally admit it, Robin covered her mouth and she started tearing up!

 

"Gah! Robin, I'm sorry!" I cried. "I didn't mean to make you cry!"

 

   She doesn't speak a word. Instead, she walked up to me and kissed me right on my left cheek! I mean...she really caught me off guard! My face was redder than a freakin' tomato!

 

"Aww~." everyone said.

 

"Thank you for coming along with everyone else to save me." Robin tells me.

 

"...Don't mention it." I replied, scratching my cheek.

 

I can't believe she got the drop on me like that. Ah, well.

 

   Anyway, Luffy tells Old Lady Kokoro to put him on Merry's figurehead and that's what she did. Next, Luffy thanks Merry for coming to get us out of Enies Lobby. He also thanks Franky for helping us save Robin. Afterwards, he declares that we won, to which we all cheered.

 

   So, while we're heading back to Water 7, Usopp decides to put that damn mask back on. Jeez, what a dork. Not only that, but Luffy and Chopper thought that he had actually left. I wanted SO BADLY to tell them the truth...yet, something was holding me back. Besides, Luffy and Chopper are big boys. They should be able to figure this one out on their own...

 

   Oh, who am I kidding?! They are SO immature!! The day that they figure out that Usopp was really Sniper King will be the day that Hell freezes over!

 

*Zoro sighs*

 

   Whatever. On our way back, we had a discussion on who really called out to us and Luffy claimed that it was Merry. I thought that that was a load of malarkey. There's no way it could've been Merry. And to be honest, I don't believe it was some ghost, either. Franky had an idea of what it might've been. Said it was called a...a...Clobber-something. He said that when a ship is loved by the crew who owns it, that clobber-whatever would appear and fix itself for them. Although, seeing one's actually considered bad luck.

 

   When you see those...clobber-things, it means your ship is doomed. I thought that that was a load of bulls***, cuz if Merry truly was doomed, how could she have made it all the way to Enies Lobby?!

 

(A/N: If only you knew.)

 

A little later, we meet up with Iceberg and the rest of Galley-La. Good to see the old man's still alive and kicking, as well as the others.

 

   Suddenly, it happened. The _Merry_ just...broke in half, right down to the middle! Luffy nearly fell off because of this! I couldn't believe that the omen was true! And Usopp...he looked like he was about to cry!

 

   I'm not really all that surprised. Still, even I gotta admit, this is just...just heartbreaking. What was even moreso was when Luffy begged Old Man Iceberg to fix her and the only answer he gave was, "Let her go."

 

   We all stood there, shocked...even though we all knew this day was coming. Merry was our friend and we didn't want to lose her. But...we can't force her to keep going when she's on her last legs.

 

"I understand." Luffy said. "Okay."

 

So, we all got off the _Merry_ and got in this little boat...and Luffy holds up this torch.

 

"Are we all ready?" he asks.

 

"Yeah." the cook answered.

 

Then, he sets Merry on fire. He tells us it's best that Usopp isn't here to see the _Merry_ die. He probably wouldn't have handled it.

 

"Well?" I asked "Sniper King". "Is that true?"

 

"Of course, it isn't. We must all say our farewells, someday. Every man knows that." he replied. "We must hold back our tears. Luffy knows what has to be done."

 

All of us watched Merry burn.

 

"Thank you for carrying us for so long and for so far, Merry." Luffy said.

 

At that moment, it began snowing. I found it weird, since it wasn't cold out...but at this point, I didn't really care.

 

Right now, I was too busy reminiscing.

 

_"I'm sorry."_

 

It's that voice, again...! Merry...?

 

_"I wanted to carry everyone just a little bit longer...! I had so much fun...I wish our adventures would never end...!"_

 

   By now, Chopper, Nami, "Sniper King", and Franky started crying. Robin was tearing up, too. Even though, it may not look it, I was weeping on the inside. I know it's hard to believe I'm getting these feelings for a boat, but...this is Merry we're talking about. She's part of our crew and I'll be damned if anyone says otherwise.

 

_"But, I'm sorry I can--"_

 

"No, Merry! If anyone should apologize, it's us, not you! I'm not good at steering! I ran you into icebergs and all kinds of stuff! I took bad care of you and ripped your sails! " Luffy shouted. "Zoro and Sanji are idiots, too! They were breaking your stuff all the time! Usopp tried to fix you, but he wasn't any good at it! We all know that! If anyone's sorry, it's...it's us!"

 

Not long after he said this, Luffy started crying.

 

_"I don't mind. I was happy. I know you always treated me with love. Thank you. Even if the time we spent was short, I'm glad that I could spend it with you."_

 

Rest in peace, Merry. We'll all miss you.

 

"MERRY~!!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY~!!!!! TT~TT


	21. Part XXI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The Aftermath of Merry's Death._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XXI**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This amazing series belongs to the equally amazing Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Hello, again. It's been 3 days now since we escaped Enies Lobby...and Merry's death.

 

*sniffles*

 

I'm sorry. During this time, Chopper's been keeping tabs on me, these days. He says he doesn't want another mishap of me disappearing.

 

   He's also been helping the Franky Family with their injuries during the fight on Enies Lobby. Apparently, he saved one of their King Bulls' eyesight. That was very kind of him to do so and I can assure you and him that I don't intend on leaving anytime soon.

 

"Yay!"

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

*Chopper hugs Robin and she chuckles*

 

"Besides, Zoro would get all depressed again if you left."

 

"Zoro was depressed?"

 

"Oh, yeah, he was! He acted mopier than usual!"

 

(A/N: Fang- Still Chopper.)

 

"I had no idea."

 

"Oh, yeah, it is! He just doesn't wanna admit it, though."

 

"How come?"

 

"Everyone says it's because he's in denial about the whole thing."

 

*Robin chuckles*

 

"I see."

 

"Chopper, what're you telling Robin?"

 

"That you would be depressed if she left again."

 

"DAMMIT CHOPPER!!! KEEP THAT LITTLE MOUTH OF YOURS FUCKING SHUT!!!"

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

 

"Zoro, please go easy on him!"

 

"NO! I'M SKINNING HIM ALIVE THIS TIME, DAMMIT ALL!!!!"

 

"ROBIN, SAVE ME!!!"

 

"Zoro, please..."

 

*Robin gives Zoro a pleading look and he blushes*

 

"O...Okay..."

 

"Thank you."

 

"Thanks, Robin."

 

"You're welcome, Chopper."

 

   Another thing that's been going on, Luffy has developed a technique that will prevent him from missing all of his meals: Sleep-eating. That, and Nami's been feeling really depressed. She thought that when the Merry sank, all of our belongings went with her...including Nami's tangerine grove. Not only that, she was also depressed that we couldn't go anywhere, because we don't have a ship anymore. Oh, and that our money is all gone, too.

 

"I'm so depressed, I can't even move." she said.

 

Poor thing. Luckily, that was all about to change.

 

   Turns out all our stuff is all right, including Nami's tangerines and the money and, naturally, she was elated. Apparently, the Galley-La staff confiscated our things because they thought it was pirate loot. Go figure.

 

Anyway, Franky shows up with two female members of his family. Mozu and Kiwi, I believe their names are.

 

   So then, Franky tells us about an island. It's a bit of a war-torn place. There was nothing but death and destruction. However, one thing remained untouched. The Jewel Tree, Adam.

 

   The wood from the tree is said to be nearly indestructible. It's also very rare on the black market. Which is the reason why Franky took our money in the first place. Again, go figure.

 

   At any rate, he insists on making a new ship for us using that wood. His late master, Tom, built Gold Roger's ship, the Oro Jackson, from Adam as well. We were all overjoyed by this.

 

"I guess we had Franky all wrong, huh?"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Yeah, who knew?"

 

(Chopper.)

 

Too bad Luffy was still sleeping. He would've been overjoyed, too.

 

Oh, well. We can tell him when he wakes up.

 

***BAM!!!***

 

"What in the world!?"

 

Just when things were finally starting to turn around, the marines show up.

 

"Pardon me, but are you folks the Straw Hat pirates?" asked a Marine Vice Admiral wearing a dog mask. "You see, I've got some friends who like to share a word with Monkey D. Luffy."

 

Oh, dear. At that moment, he speeds right past us and went for Luffy!

 

"Luffy! Look out!!" Sanji cried.

 

"Rise and Shine!" the Marine Vice Admiral shouted before hitting Luffy with his bare fist.

 

And just like that, Luffy woke up, screaming in pain!

 

"Ow! That hurt!!!" he cried. "Ow~!!!!!"

 

   Sanji wondered how that one punch could send Luffy in so much pain since he's made of rubber. The masked man says it's because there is no defense against the "Fist of Love".

 

...Don't ask.

 

Anyhow, he takes off the dog mask and Luffy suddenly looked really terrified.

 

"G...G...G...Grandpa?!"

 

".....WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?"

 

"The Marine Vice Admiral is your..." Chopper started and everyone else finished, "Grandpa!?"

 

   Wait a minute...that face. I could've sworn I've seen it before. Now, I remember...! That's Marine hero, Garp "the Fist"! He fought with Gold Roger many times! HE'S Luffy's grandfather?!

 

...I'm sorry, it's just...so much to take in all at once. Still, I can't believe Luffy's grandfather is a Marine! You'd think that because of that, Luffy would be a Marine, too!

 

   Then again, stranger things have happened. Nevertheless, Luffy says that we shouldn't fight him or else he'd kill us the same way he almost killed him when he was a still a small child.

 

   That's when Garp explains how he didn't try to kill him, he was only trying to toughen him up...and that he left the poor boy in a jungle many times. Nami didn't handle this very well...in fact, she felt really sorry for Luffy.

 

   So much so, that she pulled his head into her bosom and sobbed saying, "Oh, my poor Luffy! I can't imagine what life must've been like with that sadistic old man for a grandfather! You maniac, what's wrong with you?! Where'd you learn parenting skills like that?!!"

 

"Korea." Garp answered.

 

"...Figures."

 

"By the way, you Luffy's girlfriend?" he asked.

 

"Yeah, why?" Nami replied.

 

This is either going to be really good or really bad. After a moment of silence, Garp smiled.

 

"Well, that's good to hear!" he says. "'Bout time Luffy found a girl!"

 

"Uh...thanks...?"

 

At that instant, Garp glared at Luffy with a serious expression on his face.

 

"You two haven't been up to any funny business now, right?" he asked.

 

Oh, dear.

 

"No...!" Luffy squeaked.

 

Garp looked deep into Luffy's eyes before saying, "...Good boy."

 

   Good thing Luffy and Nami haven't done the deed, yet. I'm afraid of what Garp might do to Luffy. At that point, Zoro came rushing in. I wonder where he had been.

 

"Knowing him, he probably got lost again."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"SHUT UP, NAMI!!"

 

"YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT!!!!!"

 

"...How would you like for me to shave your head while you sleep?"

 

"I don't know, Zoro, how would _you_ like for me to RIP OFF your tail and put it in a blender?"

 

*Zoro growls*

 

"Well? Would you?"

 

"...No."

 

"That's what I thought."

 

Okay...Evidently, Zoro came all this way to warn us that the Marines were here, although, we already beat him to the punch.

 

   Oh, and before that, we learn about the Four Emperors who govern the second half of the Grand Line. Not only that, but I learn about how Luffy received his hat from Red-Hair Shanks. Nami explained it to me. To think, all this time, Luffy was acquainted with a famous pirate.

 

I will say it again, go figure.

 

   Suddenly, two other marines appear. For some reason, one of them seemed rather young to be in the Marines. He also had pink hair, though that's beside the point. They both fought with Luffy and Zoro, briefly, yet Luffy and Zoro both won anyway. I'd expect no less from our captain and his first mate.

 

"Shishishishi! Thanks Robin!"

 

*Zoro blushes*

 

"Yeah...thanks."

 

"You're welcome."

 

   Next, for some reason, the pink-haired Marine was laughing. Huh. I guess he isn't all that sore about losing. Turns out his name is Coby, and that he, Zoro, and Luffy had met before. Oh, and the other Marine is named Helmeppo, though I don't think they recognized him. Oh, well.

 

I wonder how many other people Luffy and Zoro met before I came along. Who knows?

 

In any event, Garp has his men fix the hole in the wall that he made. As he did...he revealed some rather shocking news.

 

It seems that Luffy met his father back in Loguetown.

 

"I did?"

 

"That's right," Garp explained as he helped with the repairs. "he said he saw you off."

 

   If you think that's shocking, wait till you hear this. Luffy's father is Dragon...Monkey D. Dragon...the leader of the Revolutionary Army...and the most wanted man in the entire world.

 

   I couldn't believe my ears! None of us could! First, we learn that Luffy's grandfather is a marine and now we learn that his father is leader of the Revolutionary Army! No wonder Luffy's so strong!

 

"I can't believe my boyfriend's family's so damn famous!"

 

"You mean 'infamous'."

 

"Same thing, Sanji!!! Oh, wait...no it's not."

 

   Now, I know this has nothing to do with me...however, for some reason, even if he didn't look like it...I think I could tell that deep down, Luffy harbored some kind of anger towards his father.

 

I wondered why, though. Either way, I'm sure that he would tell us when he's ready to.

 

   In any case, after learning all of the shocking news, we decide to let Luffy and Coby catch up. Nami was listening in on them, via transponder snail. Actually, it was a Black Transponder Snail, used only for wiretaps.

 

"Is it so wrong for me to wanna keep tabs on my captain?"

 

"I understand."

 

"Thank you, Robin. I just wanna make sure that he's all right."

 

*Robin chuckles*

 

"All right, I understand."

 

"Thanks."

 

"You're welcome."

 

   See, she also did this to gain some information from the marines that could be useful to us. For instance, the Marines can easily sail through the Calm Belt without the Sea Kings attempting to eat them. The reason for that is because they had the hull made with sea prism stone.

 

To think, it could also be used against Sea Kings. Once again, go figure.

 

   Next, Coby tells Luffy about Dr. Vegapunk. He's a scientist that works for the Government. He's also their best. He even figured out how to "feed" Devil Fruits to weapons. Not only that, but he knows more knowledge about the fruits and he had been researching them for quite some time.

 

Coby kept explaining about how brilliant Vegapunk was. The man truly does sound brilliant to have accomplished so much.

 

   Also, Coby reveals something about the other side of the Grand Line. It's called the New World. It's a place where all of the pirates gather, and where the final island, Raftel, is waiting. Luffy was very excited to hear about it. It's good to hear him being enthusiastic.

 

   Not only that, Coby himself expressed a desire to become an Admiral. He quickly shrunk to the ground, sounding rather embarrassed that he... *ahem*... "ran his mouth". Poor dear.

 

Nonetheless, Luffy reassured him. He actually looks forward to when that happens.

 

*Robin chuckles*

 

You know, most Marines are corrupt and evil, but Coby...I think Coby's the only good one...aside from Saul, that is. Maybe there is hope.

 

   Regardless, Coby and Helmeppo leave with Garp. Luffy was glad to see his grandfather go and the Vice Admiral hit him...I weep for Luffy. Can't imagine having Garp for a grandfather.

 

Afterwards, Garp tells Nami to take care of Luffy, to which, she says that she will.

 

   And later that day, we have a big party to celebrate my rescue. Usopp was singing, and of course, he was in his Sniper King outfit. Why, I'm not really sure. Still, it was quite hilarious.

 

Luffy was stuffing his face, as usual...and he had chopsticks in his nose, again.

 

*Robin chuckles*

 

I can see that's one reason why Nami loves him so much.

 

"Among other things."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Of course, Nami."

 

Everyone else had a great time, while I only stood by watching. Even after all this time, I'm still not able to socialize well with others.

 

"Stay where you are and listen, Nico Robin."

 

*Robin gasps*

 

_'Oh, god, no...! Not him, again...!'_

 

That's right...Aokiji was standing right behind me.

 

"Why didn't you try to escape?" he asked. "If you acted on your own, you could've gotten away from CP9."

 

"...Even you should know that this time was different." I answered. "I couldn't just abandon my crew. I couldn't leave them to die."

 

"You might not know this, but Jaguar D. Saul, that I was forced to kill in Ohara, was my friend, too."

 

Hearing this, made me gasp when the memory of him killing Saul ran through my mind.

 

"Although, I carried out my duties as a marine that day, I also honored his wishes by sparing you and helping you escape. After that, I still felt responsible for your life." he went on. "But when 20 years had passed and you still hadn't found a home, I began to fear that Saul had made a mistake. In the end, even I had decided that you were too dangerous to live. I was certain that Enies Lobby would end the story of Ohara once and for all. Of course, I never anticipated that Straw Hat's little gang would have defeated all of CP9."

 

I watched as everyone else was still having fun, totally unaware of mine and Aokiji's conversation.

 

"So...have you finally found the place where you belong?" he asked.

 

"Yes." I answered.

 

"...In the end, I don't know if Saul was right, I don't know if what I have done is right, either." he said. "So now, I need you to show me the answer to that question."

 

"I intend to."

 

"...Then live your life with courage and prove that Ohara is still alive." he replied.

 

   I ran, dropping my glass of wine in the process, and looked behind the wall to see if Aokiji was still there. He wasn't. I even called out to him, yet there was no answer.

 

"Hey~, Robin!" Luffy's voice called. "Check this out!"

 

"Hurry, Robin, look!" Chopper also called.

 

"Robin~!" Luffy called again.

 

   I wonder what they could want. As I turn back around, I see...Luffy, his cheeks stuffed with food and chopsticks in his nose. It was kind of funny, actually.

 

"Seriously, could you guys grow up already?!" Nami questioned.

 

"Whatever!" Luffy exclaimed. "You were stuffing your face a second ago, too! You wanna try?"

 

"As if!" she replied.

 

_'You were right, Saul.'_

 

Right now, everyone's trying to pull the chopstick's out of Luffy's nose. Except Zoro, he only sat by and drank from his mug.

 

...I wonder...

 

"Robin~! Come on~!"

 

"I'm coming!"

 

   I ran back to the party. When I got there, Luffy wanted me to try and stick chopsticks up my nose. Sorry, Luffy...but it's just not going to happen.

 

"Aww, why not?! It's fun!"

 

"Oh, sure it is! That is, until they pierce whatever brain you have! No wonder you're such a dumb-ass!!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Not only that, but it'd look really creepy if Robin did that!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"...Yeah, I guess. Plus, Zoro would probably be pretty pissed at me if I made Robin do that."

 

"Exactly."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

All in all, we had a nice time.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   It's been 3 days since Merry's passing. We all took it pretty hard. During that time, Chopper treated those King Bulls' wounds, managed to save the eyesight of one of them as well. He's also been keeping a close eye on Robin, in case she leaves us again. She says it's never gonna happen again, though. I believe her.

 

   As for Luffy, I hear he's still asleep. No surprise considering what he's been through. Me, I'm still kinda bummed out about _Yubashiri_ being destroyed. I just don't feel right fighting with just 2 swords, now.

 

*Zoro sighs*

 

_'Well...I guess I'll have to find a new one. Wonder if they've got any places that sell blades. I'll probably check around town.'_

 

   As I'm walking through the city, you will not believe what I saw. I'll give you a hint: they're the scumbags that think they're doing the right thing when they're clearly not.

 

That's right. It's the marines. Dammit, they must be here for Luffy! Or Robin!

 

Whatever the case, I gotta get back!

 

Okay, I'm sure Galley-La is nearby.

 

_'Just hang in there a little bit longer...!'_

 

   I turn this corner...and somehow, I end up in alley! What the fudge!? I could've sworn Galley-La was this way!! Agh, whatever! I'll try a different route!

 

*****A bit later*****

 

What the hell?! How'd I get at this canal?!! I should be at Galley-La! Damn, damn, damn!!!

 

The universe must really hate me. So, after what felt like hours of running around, I finally make it back!

 

Except...the Marines are already there.

 

...Fuck.

 

"Where the hell have you been, Moss-head?!"

 

"You got lost again, didn't you?"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"SCREW YOU!!!"

 

"I'll take that as a yes."

 

(A/N: Nami again.)

 

Damn that cat bitch...!

 

*Zoro sighs*

 

   Whatever. Anyhoo, it turns out that the Marine leading this platoon is Vice-Admiral Garp "the Fist"...who also happens to be Luffy's grandfather! Before that, I had to cut my way through some of the marines to get to the others.

 

   Seriously, how messed-up is that?! And that's not even the most shocking part! Some blond-haired dude came at me with kukari knives, but I defeated him easily. And then Luffy pinned down some pink-haired kid with glasses.

 

   Though, for some reason, he seemed to laugh...and it first, we just thought he was trying to psyche himself into thinking his defeat was no big deal, yet it turns out it's just Coby!

 

   I wondered what happened to him after we left Shell Town! He got taller since we last saw him! Not to mention he's gotten a little more muscle too, plus that scar on his forehead. Kid's really grown up.

 

And...uh...wait, who's the blond guy? Where do I know him?

 

"IT'S ME! HELMEPPO!!!"

 

...Wait a minute.

 

"You're that idiot captain's son!"

 

I didn't even think it was possible, but he got even suckier since the last time we saw him.

 

"HEY!!!"

 

"What now?!"

 

"That's not fair! I have too gotten stronger!!!"

 

"Yeah, right! If that were true, how come I beat you so easily?! And with two swords, yet?!!"

 

*Helmeppo is quiet*

 

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

 

At any rate, Garp has his men fix the hole in the wall that he made. Apparently, he's like Luffy: likes to make a big entrance.

 

"Runs in the family."

 

After that, we learn about something even more shocking. Are you ready for this? Are you sure you're ready?

 

Are you absolutely, positively, 100%, beyond the shadow of a doubt--

 

"Just tell them, already, Moss-head!!! JEEZ!!!"

 

"All right!!!"

 

   Garp said that Luffy met his father back in Loguetown and that he is Dragon, A.K.A. Monkey D. Dragon, A.K.A. The leader of the Revolutionary Army, A.K.A. The Most Wanted Man in the entire world.

 

I mean, MY GOD! Seriously, people!! WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THIS HAPPENING?!

 

   What really shocked me was that Luffy didn't even know about his old man or that he even had one. Although...I can't help but feel like he might hold some resentment towards him.

 

   He'll tell us about it when he's ready. So, after that, we decided to let Luffy and Coby catch up. Nami also planted a Black Transponder Snail to listen in on their conversation...yeah, that's not weird. That's not weird at all.

 

"Shut up, Zoro!"

 

   Okay, she was really getting info on the marines. For instance, the marines can sail through the Calm Belt without being attacked by the Sea Kings. The reason is because they had sea prism stone built into the hulls of their ships.

 

   Next, Coby talks about this Vegapunk guy. He's this scientist that works for the World Government. Vegapunk was the one who found a way to "feed" Devil Fruits to weapons. When you think about it, it is kinda interesting.

 

Coby even said that Vegapunk's been researching Devil Fruits for a while, now. Probably wondering why they take away your ability to swim.

 

   Next, he reveals something about the second half of the Grand Line. It's called the New World. Rumor has it that that's where Raftel's supposed to be. Of course, that gets Luffy all excited.

 

Another thing, Coby mentioned that he wants to become an Admiral someday. Then, he starts getting all flustered, like usual.

 

   Heh. Same old Coby. Naturally, Luffy goes and supports him, too. I believe in Coby, as well. Even if he's actually supposed to be our enemy, though to be honest, he's one of the good ones. He'll make one hell of an Admiral one day.

 

   Later on, it was time for him and that loser, Helmeppo, to go. Luffy was especially happy to see Garp go...and that was when the old man punched him right in the face.

 

Parent of the Year, that guy.

 

"Hey, Cat girl!" Garp called.

 

"Hm?" Nami hummed.

 

"You take good care of my grandson, ya hear?" he asked.

 

"Uhhh...sure."

 

Oh, brother.

 

   Moving on, we all had a big party to celebrate our victory. Usopp started singing that damn "Sniper King" theme song of his. Luffy was stuffing his mouth, as usual, and Chopper was having fun with the King Bulls. I myself was drinking like there was no tomorrow.

 

Anyhoo, Robin left...somewhere. Hopefully, she's not gonna run off again.

 

"Don't worry, Zoro. She's not going anywhere."

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

"If you say so."

 

As it turns out, she didn't run off too far. I guess she had to use the... *ahem* ...ladies' room.

 

(A/N: Yeah. Ladies' room.)

 

   Regardless of that, Luffy and Chopper call her over and Luffy's doing his usual schtick where he sticks chopsticks up his nose. He's lucky that he's made of rubber or else those chopsticks would've pierced his brain.

 

Well...whatever brain he has, that is.

 

"Hey!"

 

"Ah, cry me a river, Luffy!"

 

To sum it all up, it was a fun party...and we're glad that we got Robin back in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's three days after Merry's death and Franky offers to build the Straw Hats a new ship.
> 
>  
> 
> Another thing, Garp's here!:D
> 
>  
> 
> As well as Coby and that jerk, Helmeppo. ^^
> 
>  
> 
> Oh, and everyone throws a party to celebrate their victory!
> 
>  
> 
> Next chapter's gonna be the one everyone's been _dying_ to read.;)
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy. ^/////^


	22. Part XXII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro sings to Robin.

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XXII**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This fan-tabulous series belongs to Ze Amazing Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

Everyone continued having a good time at the victory party. It had been going on for quite some time, now.

 

   Zoro had confessed to Robin a while back, only...it wasn't the way people expected. One Capuchin Monkey Man and Booted Puss Woman were both particularly not pleased with his confession.

 

"So much for romance." Nami spoke up.

 

"Yeah," agreed Luffy. "what a rip."

 

"Oh, come on!" Zoro shouted. "What did you expect?!"

 

"Gee, I don't know, Zoro," answered Nami. "maybe we were expecting you to hold her wing and get down on one knee. Or maybe pick her up, bridal style!"

 

"WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN THAT FAR YET!!!!" Zoro exclaimed.

 

"Cry me a river." Nami muttered.

 

At that moment, a light bulb appeared over her head.

 

"Oh, my god...!" she whispered. "I've got it!"

 

"What? What is it!?" Luffy asked.

 

Nami whispered into the Monkey Man's ear. Whatever it was that she said, he must've liked it, for he snickered.

 

"That's great!" he told her.

 

"I know, right?" Nami asked. "I'm gonna go ask Sanji if he can lend me one of his Luther Vandross CDs."

 

So, Nami went to do just that.

 

"Hey, Sanji!" she called.

 

"Yes, Nami, my sweet~?" Sanji asked, swooning.

 

"Can I borrow one of your Luther Vandross CDs?" Nami asked.

 

"Of course," the cook answered. "Which one?"

 

Nami whispered into his ear and he told her, "All right. Though, may I ask, why do you need that one?"

 

"It's a surprise." Nami winked.

 

"Yes, Nami-swan~!!!!" Sanji saluted as he went to go and get one of his Luther Vandross CDs.

 

"This ought to be good." Luffy spoke up as he shoveled a whole rib-eye steak in his mouth.

 

Nami got the CD from Sanji and came back to the party.

 

"Hey, Sniper King!" she called.

 

"Yes, Lady Nami?" Sniper King asked.

 

"I've got a job for you." Nami answered.

 

"What would that be?" he inquired.

 

Nami whispered into his ear and he grinned.

 

"Roger that." Sniper King replied, giving a thumbs up.

 

So, he, Nami, Luffy, and Chopper got to work. Meanwhile, Zoro was still drinking like there was no tomorrow.

 

"Ahh~!" he sighed.

 

At that moment, Robin walked over to him.

 

"Ahem." she cleared her throat.

 

Zoro glanced up and saw Robin.

 

"Oh, hey, Robin." he greeted.

 

Robin smiled and she asked him, "Mind if I sit with you?"

 

"Not at all." Zoro answered.

 

The Crane Woman sat next to him.

 

"This is nice, isn't it?" she asked.

 

"What is?" Zoro inquired.

 

"You know," Robin spoke up. "the party, everyone enjoying themselves, everyone being so happy..."

 

She reached her wing over and held Zoro's paw, causing him to blush. The Tiger Man gulped.

 

"Y...Yeah." Zoro muttered, looking away.

 

They were both silent for a moment, until Zoro finally spoke up, "Robin?"

 

"Yes, Zoro?" Robin asked.

 

Zoro was about to say something, until Sniper King's voice was heard through a microphone, exclaiming, "LADIES~ AND GENTLEMEN~!!!"

 

Everyone turned their attention to the masked Ferret Man, who was holding a microphone.

 

"What's he want, now?" Zoro asked, irritably.

 

"I don't know." answered Robin.

 

"Tonight, Roronoa Zoro shall declare his love to Mademoiselle Robin with one of the greatest songs of all time!" said Sniper King.

 

"Wait, what?!" Zoro questioned in disbelief. "What the hell is he talking about now?!"

 

In that instant, Luffy and Chopper began to push Zoro to a stage.

 

"C'mon, Zoro!" Luffy told him.

 

"Yeah!" Chopper added.

 

"S-stop! What are you doing?!" Zoro questioned. "GET YOUR PAWS AND HOOVES OFF ME!!!"

 

   Not long after, Nami came up and eagerly pulled Robin by her wing, forcing her to follow. Robin didn't mind, though. She just laughed, although she was a bit surprised.

 

"Nami, what's going on?" she asked.

 

"You're about to find out." Nami answered, smiling.

 

   Soon, Zoro and Robin had reached the stage and Nami had the latter sit in a chair. Next, Sniper King gave the microphone to the former and handed him a sheet of paper with song lyrics on it.

 

"What?!" Zoro questioned. "I'm not gonna sing this to Robin!"

 

"Oh, you're gonna," Nami told him. "or else I'm gonna raise your debt."

 

"Shishishishi!" Luffy snickered.

 

Zoro grumbled.

 

"All right, fine." he spoke up.

 

   Then, Nami walked over to a stereo, inserted Sanji's CD into it, and turned the volume up so that everyone could here it. Some of them even recognized the song that was about to begin.

 

"Oh, my god...!" Robin whispered in surprise.

 

"Hey, I know this song!" exclaimed Zambai.

 

"Me, too!" agreed Lulu.

 

"SO DO I!!!" bellowed Tilestone.

 

_'I can't believe I'm doing this.'_ thought Zoro before he sighed and began to sing.

 

Zoro (singing): _"One look in your eyes and there I see_  
 _Just what you mean to me._  
 _Here in my heart I believe_  
 _Your love is all I'll ever need._  
 _Holdin' you close through the night,_  
 _I need you, yeah..."_

 

Robin smiled as she listened to Zoro sing.

 

Zoro (singing): _"I look in your eyes and there I see_  
 _What happiness really means._  
 _The love that we share makes life so sweet,_  
 _Together we'll always be._  
 _This pledge of love feels so right_  
 _And, ooh, I need you..."_

 

"Wow, he's good..." muttered Paulie.

 

"Even I gotta admit that Moss Head sings this song very well." admitted Sanji. "Still not as good as Luther, though."

 

Zoro (singing): _"Here and now,_  
 _I promise to love faithfully."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"Faithfully..."_

 

Robin sniffled and put a wing to her mouth, trying to hold back tears.

 

"Oh, Zoro..." she whispered.

 

Zoro (singing): _"You're all I need."_

 

"Sing it, brother!" exclaimed Franky.

 

Iceberg just smiled and chuckled.

 

Zoro (singing): _"Here and now,_  
 _I vow to be one with thee."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"You and me..."_

 

Zoro (singing): _"Hey..._  
 _Your love is all..."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"I need."_

 

Zoro (singing): _"I need."_

 

"Oh, Zoro...!" Robin whispered as she wiped her eyes.

 

Zoro (singing): _"Say, yeah, yeah..."_

 

"Keep singing, man!" Zambai cheered.

 

"Go Roronoa!!!" Mozu and Kiwi cheered, as well.

 

Zoro (singing): _"When I look in your eyes, there I'll see_  
 _All that a love should really be._  
 _And I need you more and more each day,_  
 _Nothin' can take your love away._  
 _More than I dare to dream,_  
 _I need you."_

 

By now, Robin's tears were already falling.

 

Zoro (singing): _"Here and now_  
 _I promise to love faithfully."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"Faithfully..."_

 

Zoro (singing): _"You're all I need."_

 

Chimney, Gonbe, and Kokoro each had tears in their eyes as they sniffled.

 

"What a beautiful song." Kokoro said.

 

"He's a really good singer." added Chimney.

 

"Meow!" Gonbe agreed.

 

Zoro (singing): _"Here and now,_  
 _I vow to be one with thee."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"You and me..."_

 

Zoro (singing): _"Yeah..._  
 _Your love is all I need."_

 

That's when the song reached its bridge and Robin was crying at full force by then.

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"Starting here,"_

 

Zoro (singing): _"Ooh, and I'm"_

 

Zoro, Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"Starting now._  
 _I believe..."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"In love."_

 

Zoro (singing): _"I believe..."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"Starting here,"_

 

Zoro (singing): _"I'm starting right here."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"Starting now,"_

 

Zoro (singing): _"Right now, because I believe in your love._  
 _So, I'm glad to take the vow."_

 

Franky was bawling his eyes out, by this point. So was the rest of the Franky Family.

 

Zoro (singing): _"Here and now, oh,_  
 _I promise to love faithfully."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"Faithfully..."_

 

Zoro (singing): _"You're all I need._  
 _Here and now, yeah,_  
 _I vow to be one with thee."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"You and me..."_

 

Zoro (singing): _"Yeah..._  
 _Your love is all..."_

 

Luffy, Sniper King, and Chopper (singing): _"I need."_

 

Zoro (singing): _"I, hey...yeah...yeah...hey..._  
 _Uh, hey..._  
 _I-I, love is all I need_  
 _Ooh...ooh...yeah..._  
 _Yeah...yeah...hey...yeah...yeah..._  
 _Love is all I need_  
 _Ooh...ooh..._  
 _Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_  
 _Oh..._  
 _Hey...yeah_  
 _Hey, yeah..."_

 

   The song ended and everyone applauded and cheered. Zoro looked at Robin, who was bawling at this point. He just smiled...and happily embraced her, causing her to do the same.

 

Nami smiled.

 

"Now, that's more like it." she spoke up.

 

Suddenly, Robin kissed Zoro on the lips and everyone went wild.

 

"YES!!!" Nami cheered. "OH, YES!!! WAHOO!!!!"

 

"YEAH~!!!" Chopper cheered.

 

"FINALLY~!!!!" Luffy exclaimed.

 

"HUZZAH!!!!" Sniper King shouted.

 

Zoro was a bit surprised, until her kissed Robin back.

 

"OOH~!!" everyone swooned.

 

Zoro and Robin payed them no mind. They just looked each other in the eye and smiled warmly.

 

"Thank you, Zoro." said Robin.

 

"You're welcome." replied Zoro.

 

_'That jerk better not do anything to hurt Robin,'_ Sanji thought, _'because if he does, I swear I--'_

 

"Hey!!!" Franky shouted. "Some moron is about to do a cannonball off the high-dive!!!"

 

"Oh, no!" Nami cried. "Tell me that's not MY moron!!"

 

"CANNONBALL~!!!!" Luffy shouted as he jumped off of the high-dive.

 

"Yep...it's my moron." Nami deadpanned.

 

***SPLASH!!!!***

 

"Help!" Luffy cried as he splashed around. "Help!"

 

Nami sighed.

 

"I'll go get him." she spoke up as she dove in after Luffy.

 

   Despite the fact that Luffy pretty much ruined the moment, Zoro and Robin couldn't help laughing either way. As of now...their love had officially blossomed. And it was about to take another step further.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha~!!!!!
> 
>  
> 
> *claps*
> 
>  
> 
> YES!!!!!
> 
>  
> 
> The very part you've all been waiting for!
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy, everybody.


	23. Part XXIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Robin and Zoro finally give in to one another._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XXIII**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This sensational series belongs to Ze Great Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

Most of the others had turned in for the night. Zoro went to Robin's room to talk to her...among other things.

 

   He eventually he made it to her door, contemplating what to say to her about the events that took place tonight. The Tiger Man sighed as he looked up at the ceiling.

 

"...Okay." he muttered as he reached for the doorknob.

 

However...he seemed to stop midway and he sighed, again.

 

"Man, I don't know what the hell I'm doing," he said. "I mean...what if I'm not ready for this?! What if... what if she's not ready?"

 

   A pause. Then, Zoro turned to walk back to his room. Though, before he could even make it back to his room, Robin opened her door, and came out of her room, saying, "Zoro?"

 

The Tiger Man froze.

 

_'CRAP!'_ he thought.

 

He turned to face Robin, acting like his usual self.

 

"Uh...hey." he greeted.

 

"Hi..." Robin greeted back. "...what are you doing here?"

 

"Uh..." Zoro muttered.

 

_'Come on, Zoro, think!'_ he thought.

 

"I...I couldn't sleep...?" the Tiger Man answered. "Y-yeah! That's it! I couldn't sleep! Uh...I was restless, so I'm just...walking around a bit."

 

"...Funny," Robin spoke up. "I'm a bit restless too, for some reason."

 

"Really?" Zoro asked.

 

"Yes." the Crane Woman answered.

 

*****Flashback to a few moments ago, in Robin's room*****

 

   Robin is sitting on her bed...with her shirt off, revealing many bruises and scars on her back, arms...and other places. Most of them were from Spandam, but others...they were from other times when Robin was betrayed by people she had come to trust during her life.

 

   20 years...for 20 years, she has lived a life on the run. For 20 years, people she had to come to trust turned on her. For 20 years, she had to betray to save her own skin...until now.

 

Now...after those 20 long years...she has finally found people who love and want to protect her, no matter what, just like Saul said she would.

 

"Hm," she lightly chuckled to herself. "You were right...Saul."

 

Suddenly, she heard footsteps outside her door.

 

"Huh?" she muttered, putting her shirt on. "I wonder who that could be."

 

*****Flashback end*****

 

"I see..." muttered Zoro.

 

"Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?" Robin asked.

 

"Um, just wanted to say good night..." Zoro answered, scratching his cheek with a claw and looking away.

 

"Oh. I see." the archaeologist muttered.

 

_'"Just wanted to say good night...", really Zoro!?'_ the swordsman thought. _'That was the best you could think up of?!'_

 

_'Are you serious?!'_ Robin questioned, mentally. _'Is that really it!?'_

 

"Well...see ya." Zoro told her as he turned to leave.

 

"Yes...and good night to you, too, Zoro..." Robin replied, her voice sounding almost...unhappy.

 

   She turned to go back into her room...although...the Crane Woman turned back around and blurted out to Zoro, "Oh, dammit, Zoro, I can't take it anymore!"

 

"Oh, thank god, me either!" Zoro cried as he turned back around and started making out with Robin.

 

(Cue "Love Won't Let Me Wait".)

 

_I need to have you next to me in more ways than one_

 

   Robin moaned as Zoro pressed his rough, sandpaper-like tongue against hers and ran it along the roof of her mouth. His paws started to roam every inch of her body.

 

_And I refuse to leave till I see the mornin' sun_

 

   Hastily, Zoro hoisted Robin up as they continued making out and entered her room. Meanwhile, outside of the room, Nami and Luffy were walking down the hall to the kitchen to get the Monkey Man a midnight snack...when suddenly, they noticed that the door was slightly ajar.

 

"Hm?" Luffy hummed. "Robin's door is open."

 

He was about to close it when he peeked inside of the room and his jaw dropped.

 

"Luffy, what is it?" Nami asked.

 

Luffy didn't answer.

 

"Luffy?" Nami asked before she came over and looked inside, too. "What are you look...ing...at...?"

 

Next, she gasped silently in shock.

 

"Oh...my...god..." she whispered.

 

"Yeah..." Luffy agreed, quietly.

 

"I can't believe it...!" Nami whispered. "They're finally doing it...!"

 

"Yeah..." Luffy agreed, once more...as he began to feel something going on down in his nether region. "...hey, Nami?"

 

"Yes, Luffy?" Nami asked.

 

"...Is it weird that I'm getting a boner watching them do it?" Luffy asked.

 

"...A little bit..." Nami answered. "...wanna know what else is weird?"

 

"What?" Luffy inquired.

 

"I'm...getting a little turned on, too." Nami admitted.

 

Back inside of Robin's room, Zoro and Robin proceeded to make out with one another.

 

_The time is right, you hold me tight_

 

Zoro held Robin tightly to his chest as he kissed her, yet not too tightly, for he did not want to hurt her.

 

_And love's got me high_

 

Zoro moaned as he kissed Robin even more.

 

_Please tell me, 'Yes' and don't say, 'No'_

 

"Mmm...yes...!" Robin moaned as Zoro continued to kiss her.

 

_Honey, not tonight_

 

Zoro broke away, gasping for breath and Robin gasped, too.

 

_Move a little close to me, you owe it to yourself_

 

   Following that, she embraced Zoro and he embraced her, all while Luffy and Nami continued to watch. Consequently, the swordsman and the archaeologist began to strip. The captain and the navigator could feel their cheeks getting hotter and hotter.

 

   As soon as they're in the buff, Zoro got an eyeful of Robin's bare body. The Crane Woman blushed as she covered her chest with her wings. Zoro grabbed her wings and pulled them away from her bosom, asking, "Why do you hide?"

 

"Oh, my god...!" Nami whispered. "Look at all those scars on her...!"

 

"I had no idea she had so many..." Luffy spoke in a hushed voice. "...poor Robin."

 

   Zoro looked at Robin's scars, and almost instantly, he felt his blood boiling. It angered him to see how many scars covered her body...especially knowing who gave them to her.

 

_'Spandam...'_ he thought. _'that rat-faced son-of-a-bitch!'_

 

Embarrassed, Robin looked away.

 

"What's wrong?" Zoro asked.

 

Robin looked up at Zoro and answered, shyly, "I'm...I'm scared."

 

"What are you scared of, Robin?" Zoro inquired.

 

A pause...until Robin began to tear up.

 

"Robin?" Zoro asked, concerned.

 

"I'm sorry," Robin sobbed. "It's just...what if this is all just some cruel dream I'm having?!"

 

The swordsman gently cupped her cheek, telling her, "How about I prove to you that this isn't a dream?"

 

_And I will selfishly take a little for myself_

 

   Before Robin could even say anything, Zoro kissed her again. The former was caught off guard at first, nevertheless, she kissed him back. Luffy and Nami were still watching, too.

 

   Zoro's paws started to roam every part of Robin's body again. This time, his paws cupped her firm, perky breasts and gave them a good massage. His action earned him a pleasurable moan from Robin.

 

_And it's because of you_

 

After massaging her melons, Zoro began to suck on them. Robin covered her mouth with her wing to keep herself from crying out.

 

*****Though, meanwhile*****

 

Sanji woke up and cried, "My Mellorine Senses are tingling!"

 

Chopper just lied in bed, snoring.

 

"...It's probably just my imagination." the Fox Man muttered, going back to sleep.

 

*****Meanwhile, somewhere outside*****

 

A certain Ferret Man also happened to hear the commotion.

 

_'You've gotta be kidding me...!'_ Usopp thought.

 

He peeked through a window to Robin's room and gasped silently, for he saw Zoro and Robin in the middle of foreplay.

 

_'Oh...my...god...!'_ Usopp thought.

 

   He quickly looked away and left. He was heading for a burrow he made on Scrap Heap Island nearby. He was staying there until Franky built their new ship.

 

Even though Usopp knew that the others probably weren't ready to see him again, let alone talk to him...he still missed his old friends.

 

He sighed.

 

"They just...need some time, that's all," he spoke to himself. "Maybe...maybe I'll go back to them after all."

 

With that, he crawled into his burrow and fell asleep.

 

*****Concurrently*****

 

   Back with Zoro and Robin, the former moved down to her womanhood and used his tongue to continue pleasuring her. Robin bit her lip and covered her mouth to keep herself from crying out.

 

_'H...his tongue...so rough...!'_ she thought.

 

"Ngh...!" Robin moaned a little. "Haa~!!"

 

"Man...didn't think Zoro really had it in him," Nami whispered before she looked at Luffy...who was too busy staring at Robin. "Luffy...!"

 

"Yeah?" Luffy asked.

 

"Stop staring at Robin!" Nami whispered.

 

"Well, what am I supposed to do?!" Luffy questioned in a hushed tone. "She's hot!"

 

"...And you're saying I'm not?" Nami asked with a glare.

 

"No, you're incredibly hot!" Luffy answered, quietly. "You're super hot!"

 

"And don't you forget it." Nami spoke, softly.

 

So, they both continued watching the Tiger Man and the Crane Woman.

 

*****In Robin's room*****

 

Zoro proceeded licking the inside of Robin's womanhood.

 

_'Oh, god...!'_ Robin thought. _'I'm about to...!'_

 

Soon, Robin came inside Zoro's mouth. That didn't bother him, though. He simply licked his lips, savoring the taste.

 

"It's a lot sweeter than I imagined." Zoro started as he stood up and lifted Robin up off her feet, bridal style.

 

   Robin gasped slightly in surprise as she wrapped her wings around Zoro's neck and hung on tightly as he walked over to her bed and set her down on it.

 

_That love won't let me wait_

 

"Oh, my god...!" Nami whispered. "Are they...?!"

 

"Oh, yeah..." Luffy answered, quietly.

 

_Not another minute, baby  
My baby_

 

   Once Robin was on her bed, she lay on her side with her legs outstretched and bent her upper left leg, bringing her knee close to her chest. The sight was very enticing to Zoro, for he began purring and knelt down on the bed, slowly straddling her straightened right leg as he leaned forward, resting his paws on both sides of Robin's body.

 

_The time is right, turn down the lights  
And take my hand, ooh, ooh, yeah_

 

Before they could even begin, Robin turned her gaze away from Zoro.

 

"What is it?" he asked her.

 

Robin didn't face him, albeit instead she just answered, "...This is my first time..."

 

"Really?" Zoro inquired, blinking.

 

"Look, I've spent the last 20 years of my life running from the World Government." she answered, blushing. "Do you really think that during those 20 years I would've had the time or the luxury to have sex?!"

 

(A/N: When you think about it, she makes a valid point.)

 

"That is true." Nami agreed, quietly.

 

"Can't argue with that logic." Luffy added in a soft voice.

 

_We'll take a flight and spend the night  
In Wonderland_

 

Zoro was silent for a bit and he smirked.

 

"That makes it even better..." he spoke up. "...cause this is my first time, too."

 

"Eh?" Robin muttered, looking at him, though she blushed again. "Well, you certainly knew how to tease me like a pro a little earlier."

 

"I guess it just comes naturally to me." Zoro replied with a casual shrug.

 

_And I need to have you next to me in more ways than one_   
_And I refuse to leave till I see the mornin' sun_   
_Creep through your window pane_

 

"Apparently..." Luffy whispered.

 

_Because love won't let me wait_   
_No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no_   
_No, no, no, no, no, no_

 

"So," Zoro began, "are you ready?"

 

   Robin nodded her head...and Zoro slowly entered inside of her, causing the former to bite her lip and cover her mouth to stifle herself from crying out. Blood dripped from her womanhood...a clear sign that she had relinquished her virginity.

 

_And I need your love so desperately and only you can set me free_

 

Next, Zoro made slow and steady thrusts.

 

"Aah...!" Robin gasped.

 

As Zoro moved, he started massaging Robin's left can.

 

_When I make love to you, we'll explode in ecstasy_   
_And I won't take the blame_   
_That love won't let me wait_

 

Robin moaned as he continued pleasuring her.

 

_Love won't, no, no, no_   
_Love won't, no, no, no_   
_No, no, no, no_   
_(Love won't let me wait)_

 

*****During that time*****

 

Luffy and Nami's jaws dropped as they kept watching.

 

*****In Robin's room*****

 

As Zoro massaged Robin's melon, he went for her nip, giving it a little tweak. Robin let out a squeak and chewed her lip.

 

_My baby_   
_Yeah, yeah_

 

While he kept on pleasuring her, Zoro asked, "Like that?"

 

"Mm-hmm...!" Robin hummed.

 

_My temperature's risin',_   
_My temperature's risin', yeah..._

 

Zoro smirked, again.

 

"That's good," he replied. "what do you say we kick it up a notch?"

 

Before Robin could get a word in, inch-wise, Zoro sped up his pace.

 

"Ah-ha...!" Robin cried out as tears formed in her eyes.

 

_(Love won't let me wait) Won't let me_

 

"Yes~!"

 

_Not another minute, baby_   
_(Love won't let me wait) It won't let me_   
_Won't let me wait_   
_It won't let me wait, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah..._

 

   Zoro continued his pace, all while massaging Robin's ample chest. This only succeeded in exciting Robin even more. For she cried out with each thrust in pure ecstasy, though not too loudly. She did not want to disturb the others.

 

_(I can't wait) I can't wait, no_   
_Love won't let me (wait)_

 

_'I can't believe this is really happening...!'_ Robin thought. _'I'm actually having sex...and it feels so good!'_

 

_I just can't (can't)_   
_I just can't (can't)_   
_I just can't (can't) do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it_   
_(Wait)_   
_Ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh... yeah_

 

Zoro panted as he kept going.

 

_I can't wait not another minute (Ooh)_   
_Not another minute (I can't wait, I can't wait)_

 

*****Outside*****

 

Luffy and Nami continued to quietly watch, their faces were redder than rubies.

 

*****In Robin's room*****

 

_I'll be there (I can't wait) yes, I will_   
_I'll be there, yeah, yeah_

 

Zoro and Robin's pleasure went on for about a good hour, although they were each nearing their limit.

 

"Ngh...!" Zoro grunted. "Oh, man...!"

 

"Zoro...!" Robin cried. "I think...I'm about to...!"

 

"Same here...!" Zoro replied.

 

_(Wait) I'm comin', I'm comin', I'm comin', hold on_   
_Hold on, I'm comin', I'm comin', I'm comin', hold on_   
_So, honey, I'm comin', I'm comin',_   
_Yes, I will_   
_I'll be there, I'll be there_   
_Yes, I will_   
_Ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh... (Wait) yeah_   
_You know I can't wait_   
_Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no_   
_No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no_   
_(I can't wait, can't wait) Can't wait, yeah_   
_Ooh, ooh, ooh... (Wait)_

 

Soon, they released...and Robin cried out as she had her orgasm.

 

_Don't fight the feeling_   
_Don't fight the feeling, feeling_   
_(I can't) I just can't_   
_(I can't) I can't wait, can't wait, any longer_   
_(Wait)_   
_Oh, yeah, yeah..._

 

   Afterwards, Zoro slowly pulled out of Robin, being careful not to hurt her, and sat up on the bed, panting. Robin lay on the bed, her body drenched in sweat and her chest heaving.

 

"...Damn...!" Nami whispered. "Zoro is good...!"

 

"...What's that supposed to mean?" Luffy asked, softly.

 

"I meant for his first time with Robin." Nami answered, quietly. "I never dreamed that he'd last this long."

 

"Oh." muttered Luffy.

 

   They both continued watching their friends as they were catching their breath. Once they have, Robin sat up and rested her head on Zoro's chest.

 

(A/N: Cue "Prisoner of Love (Instrumental Version)")

 

   As she gently stroked his scar with her wing, she told him, "Zoro...now that we've taken another step in our relationship...I'll tell you everything...about my past."

 

"You don't have to do that--" he tried to say.

 

"But, I want to." she insisted, facing him. "You deserve to know everything and I don't want there to be any more secrets between us."

 

"...All right." the swordsman replied.

 

So, Robin regaled Zoro with her own tragic history.

 

"My former home was Ohara, located in the West Blue." she began. "Life for me was less than stellar..."

 

She remembered back to when the children of the island bullied her and her abusive aunt.

 

"I didn't have many friends," she spoke. "most of the islanders treated me as if I were a monster...and my aunt was no better, either. She treated me like garbage."

 

"Damn...that's awful." Zoro said.

 

Luffy and Nami were surprised to hear this, as well.

 

"Her aunt sounds like a real bitch." whispered Luffy.

 

"Tell me about it." Nami whispered.

 

"But I guess it wasn't all bad," Robin continued. "At least I had my teachers...especially Professor Clover."

 

"Oh, yeah?" Zoro inquired.

 

"Mm-hmm," Robin hummed. "I also had my friend, Saul. He, along with Professor Clover and my other teachers, made living in Ohara bearable."

 

Zoro smiled a little, as did Nami and Luffy.

 

"That's good to hear." the Tiger Man told her.

 

After a brief pause, Robin continued, grimly, "However, one day...CP9 came to the island...and...that's when they ruined everything."

 

   She bit her lip, before continuing, "They believed that the archaeologists were trying to revive Pluton. They wrongly accused them of being criminals...even me!"

 

"You're kidding me." Zoro spoke up, shocked.

 

"No," Robin replied, "and it gets worse. The director of CP9, the one before Spandam and is also his father, was the one who issued the Buster Call that destroyed Ohara."

 

Zoro's eyes widened when he heard this. Luffy and Nami silently gasped.

 

"That jerk's dad destroyed Robin's home?!" Luffy whispered. "What the hell?!!"

 

"Ooh, that makes me so mad!" Nami spoke in a hushed voice.

 

Robin remembered the Buster Call destroying the island.

 

"It was...terrifying," she continued, shivering. "Like...like watching Hell on earth! Everywhere I ran...there was fire, and screaming...and cannons going off! It was awful!"

 

Nami covered her mouth, completely shocked. Luffy just had his eyes covered by his hat.

 

"In the midst of all the chaos...I met my mother for the first time since I was a toddler when she left me with my aunt and uncle." Robin went on.

 

"Robin..." Zoro muttered.

 

"...That was also the last time I saw her, too," Robin spoke...as a tear formed in her eye. "The last thing she told me while Saul took me away was that I must live on..."

 

Her eyes were flooding with tears as she continued to tell Zoro her past.

 

"As if that wasn't bad enough, Saul and I run into, at the time, Vice Admiral Kuzan."

 

Zoro gasped silently at this; Luffy and Nami did the same, too.

 

"He ended up freezing Saul to death..." Robin choked, holding back her tears. "Before Saul died..."

 

Zoro placed his paw on her shoulder to reassure her and she looked up at him.

 

"You don't have to continue on if you don't want to."

 

Robin shook her head.

 

"I do." she sniffled. "You have to know all of this."

 

"...Okay." Zoro replied.

 

"...Saul told me...that I'm sure to meet people who will always protect me," Robin continued. "My real friends."

 

"...He sounded like a very wise man." Zoro commented.

 

"He was." Robin chuckled, lightly, before saying, "After Saul died, I ran away, though Aokiji caught up with me... and surprisingly, he let me go...he did it to honor Saul's last wish."

 

"That's strange, coming from the guy who killed your friend." Zoro spoke.

 

"I thought so, too." Robin agreed.

 

"That is kinda weird, isn't it?" Nami asked, quietly.

 

"Yeah." Luffy concurred, softly.

 

"He left, telling me that he's not my ally." Robin went on. "Next time he saw me...he'd try and capture me."

 

"Like he did when we ran into him after the Davy Back Fight." Zoro spoke with a grim tone, and Robin nodded.

 

"Yes." she told him. "While on a boat, I watched as Ohara burned to the ground..."

 

Nami began to tear up when she heard this and Zoro's right ear twitched as he continued listening to Robin's story.

 

"I remembered what Saul told me about whenever I'm feeling depressed, I should laugh...and I did...so much that it hurt...and I began to cry..." Robin continued, choking back her tears again.

 

Zoro felt his heart sink upon hearing this.

 

_'I'm such an idiot...'_ he thought. _'I can't believe I tried to push this poor woman away.'_

 

"I'm sure Zoro's feeling like a real dick, right now." Nami whispered.

 

"Yup." Luffy agreed in a soft voice.

 

"Things became so much worse from then on." the Crane Woman explained. "The Government put a bounty on my head, courtesy of Spandam's father."

 

Zoro's blood began to boil as he bared his fangs.

 

"If I ever see that bastard, I'll rip his intestines out and wring his neck with them!" he hissed.

 

"You can count me in!" Luffy whispered in agreement, pounding a fist into his palm.

 

"Me, too." Nami whispered, angrily.

 

"...I lived my whole life on the run since then," Robin spoke. "Everywhere I went...I met people I thought I could trust...but the moment they find out about my bounty, they tried to turn me in to the Government. Soon...I found myself betraying others, just so I could live...and then...that's when..."

 

"You joined Baroque Works," Zoro finished. "Right?"

 

Robin nodded her head at this.

 

"In a way, I'm actually grateful to Crocodile..." she chuckled a bit. "If I hadn't joined up with him...I never would have met you and the others...you, especially, Zoro."

 

Zoro couldn't help smiling when she said this. Same with Luffy and Nami.

 

"After we met, I couldn't stop thinking about you." Robin explained. "I couldn't figure out why, though...even when we met again at Rainbase, I was happy to see you again, but I didn't understand why I felt that way."

 

"...Same here. Naturally, when I first saw you, I didn't trust you..." Zoro interpreted. "But at the same time...I felt warm inside, too."

 

Robin blinked as she listened to the swordsman.

 

"After you left, I couldn't get you out of my mind." the Tiger Man continued. "I was a little happy to see you again in Rainbase, despite the fact that you were one of the enemy."

 

"Zoro..." the Crane Woman muttered.

 

"A-ha!" Nami whispered, giggling quietly. "I knew it!"

 

   However...she unwittingly brushed her tail against Luffy's nose. He would've made a loud sneeze, had she not covered his nose in time. The Booted Puss Woman sighed in relief.

 

"That was close." she whispered.

 

"When you joined up with us, honestly, I wasn't too happy about it..." Zoro admitted. "In fact, I was ready to kill you if you tried harming Luffy and the others."

 

"I completely understand." Robin spoke up.

 

"But then...the more time you stayed on the ship," Zoro began, "the less angry I became."

 

Robin blinked in puzzlement.

 

"What do you mean?" she asked.

 

"I mean...I don't know what it was," he answered, "but...I started to feel a little more calm around you. I guess...the longer you stayed, the more I stared to get used to you. Next thing I know...I lost any mistrust I had...and I found myself feeling something else...something...more."

 

He held Robin's wing in his paw and Nami gasped silently when he did so.

 

"Oh, my gosh...!" she cried, softly.

 

"I realized that you weren't such a terrible person." Zoro went on.

 

"Really?" Robin asked.

 

"Yeah." Zoro nodded. "When Eneru attacked you back in Skypiea, I was furious."

 

Robin looked down, thoughtfully.

 

"...I had no idea." she spoke, softly.

 

"When you woke up, I was happy that you were okay," Zoro explained, "but...I let my pride get in the way. I just didn't want everyone to think that I'd gone soft."

 

"...Is that why you tried to ignore your feelings for me?" Robin asked.

 

"...Yes." Zoro admitted.

 

"I knew it...!" Luffy whispered.

 

"But...when you disappeared that day," Zoro spoke up, "I...I was beside myself with worry."

 

"...I'm sorry." Robin apologized, guiltily.

 

Nami and Luffy were sniffling, by this point. Of course, they were doing so, quietly.

 

"Despite how depressed I was when you left, I had to assume the worst...that you had betrayed us..." Zoro went on.

 

"...I'm not really surprised about that." Robin replied, dismally. "After all, I've grown used to others not trusting me."

 

"Back at Iceberg's mansion, I...I was just so shocked...I didn't wanna believe what I was seeing!"

 

Robin looked away, feeling absolutely guilty for putting Zoro and everyone else through so much worry.

 

"Though, later on, Nami told us why you left." Zoro explained.

 

"...I only did it for your own good," Robin responded. "And...I actually thought you were going to sell me out, first."

 

"...We wouldn't do that, Robin." Nami whispered, sympathetically.

 

"That's right!" Luffy agreed, quietly. "We'd never sell out a friend!"

 

"We would never do that, Robin." Zoro told her. "We're not like all those other people."

 

"I know..." Robin whispered. "...CP9 came to me...the same people responsible for the Buster Call on Ohara...they were going to kill you. They would have issued that call on you...I couldn't let that happen...!"

 

Robin's eyes welled up with tears again as she covered her mouth with her wing.

 

"You and everyone else have been like a second family to me..." she sobbed. "I've already lost my mother, my teachers, and Saul...I couldn't bare the thought of losing all of you, as well...!"

 

Zoro reached up and gently wiped her tears away.

 

"That won't happen, Robin." he reassured.

 

"It doesn't matter," Robin replied. "because, as it turns out, CP9 never had any intention of honoring their agreement with me...I can't believe how stupid I was...!"

 

"Hey, I would've done the same thing if I were you." Zoro spoke up.

 

"No, you wouldn't have..." Robin shook her head.

 

"Yes, I would." Zoro replied.

 

"I'd do the same thing, too, if I were her." Nami whispered.

 

"Same here." Luffy agreed.

 

"By the way," Zoro started. "about your bounty, people said it was because you sank six marine battleships...I figured that that was just a lie that the government came up with."

 

Robin nodded.

 

"Yes." she answered, sniffling. "I never did any of the horrible things they lied about. I may have committed some deeds that I'm not proud of, but I didn't do that."

 

"I believe you." Zoro responded. "I mean...that sounds more like something I would do if I were your age."

 

Robin just laughed, and Zoro chuckled with her.

 

"Shishishi!" Luffy snickered, softly. "Yup, that sounds like Zoro!"

 

   Sequential to this, Robin went on, "After CP9 lied to me, I began to lose hope...I was almost certain that none of you, nor I, would come out of this alive."

 

She looked down, her bangs covering her eyes.

 

"I just wanted to die...I just...I just wanted to die...!"

 

She sniffled and chewed her lip again. So much so, a small drop of blood formed and dribbled down her chin.

 

"Oi, Robin!" Zoro cried. "Your lip!"

 

"Stop biting, stop biting!" Nami urged, quietly.

 

Robin gasped as she ceased biting her lip.

 

"I'm sorry..." she apologized.

 

Zoro took out a tissue and wiped Robin's lip of the blood.

 

"Thank you..."

 

"No problem."

 

"As I said earlier, I wanted to die, if it meant that you would all abandon me as well..." Robin continued, tearing up again. "...however, when I saw Luffy and the rest of you...and when I saw Long Nose burn down the Government flag...I felt my hope come back to me."

 

"...Long Nose?" Luffy whispered, confused. "Is she talking about Usopp? But Usopp wasn't there!"

 

"Uh, right!" Nami whispered, lying. "He wasn't! She got him and Sniper King confused!"

 

"Oh," Luffy muttered, quietly. "all right."

 

Nami sighed in relief.

 

_'I just don't have the heart to tell him the truth...'_ she thought.

 

"I remembered how everyone called me a demon and said that my existence was a sin and that I shouldn't be allowed to live..." Robin went on. "I used to think that they were right."

 

She sniffled, again.

 

"But, they were all wrong, because...at that very moment...I knew...I knew I had found the ones Saul talked about! My real friends!"

 

   Zoro smiled at this and Robin smiled, too. Her eyes were shut and welling up with tears again...only these tears were not of the sorrowful kind...they were rather joyful.

 

"Thank you so much for saving me...!" she whispered.

 

Zoro chuckled a bit.

 

"No problem, Robin." he told her.

 

   Luffy and Nami looked at each other, smiling. At that instant, Zoro gently placed his paw on Robin's cheek, saying, "And another thing, You don't need to think that anyone will abandon you...because that'd make you an idiot...and you're no idiot, Robin."

 

Robin chuckled at this.

 

"Thanks, Zoro." she told him.

 

"And, if you feel like you can't be strong for yourself..." Zoro added. "...then I'll be strong for the both of us."

 

"Zoro..." Robin whispered.

 

   At that particular moment, Zoro kissed Robin on the lips again. The latter blinked in bewilderment...nonetheless, she closed her eyes as she kissed the former back. Luffy and Nami watched as Zoro and Robin kissed.

 

"Oh, my god, oh, my god, oh, my god...!" Nami whispered, excitedly.

 

"Way to go, Zoro!" Luffy quietly cheered.

 

Zoro's right ear twitched as he stopped kissing Robin.

 

"Did you hear something?" he asked, looking at the door.

 

Luffy and Nami gasped before hiding from plain sight.

 

"No." Robin answered, shaking her head.

 

"Huh," Zoro muttered. "I could've sworn...oh, well."

 

Seconds later, he went back to kissing her. Luffy and Nami both sighed quietly in relief.

 

"Maybe we should go back to bed, Luffy," Nami whispered. "Besides, I think we've seen enough."

 

"Yeah," Luffy agreed. "but, before we do, can we do something about this?"

 

   He pointed down to his boner and Nami groaned silently. She wasn't really in the mood to "do the deed" with Luffy, herself...so there was only one other solution.

 

*****In the bathroom*****

 

"Hold still, Luffy."

 

"...GOOD GOD, THAT'S COLD, WOMAN!!!"

 

"Will you be quiet?! What are you trying to do, wake the whole damn world?!!"

 

"Sorry." Luffy apologized.

 

"It's okay," Nami replied, holding a pitcher of icy water and pouring it on Luffy's wang.

 

"OOOOOOOHH!!" Luffy cried.

 

"Okay, there," the navigator spoke. "It went down."

 

"Oh...finally...!" the captain sighed, relieved.

 

"Now, let's go on back to bed." Nami told him.

 

"Right." Luffy nodded.

 

However, just when they were about to...

 

"Wait!" Luffy cried. "...I didn't get my snack."

 

Nami face-pawed at this.

 

"Kill me now." she muttered. "Just kill me now."

 

*****Back in Robin's room*****

 

   Zoro and Robin are currently in the Missionary Position. The latter cried out as the former went in deeper, and as he did, Robin thought to herself, _'Never in all of my years did I ever expect to find real friends...but Saul was right. There really are people out there for me...and it took me until what happened on Enies Lobby to realize it...and what's more...I found someone who loves me for who I am.'_

 

She and the swordsman kissed, once more.

 

_'Zoro...thank you...I love you...!'_

 

Throughout the night, the sounds of Zoro and Robin's activities filled the air, and hardly anyone slept that night, too.


	24. Part XXIV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The aftermath of the night before._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XXIV**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This successful series belongs to the brilliant Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

Morning. The birds chirped, the sun shined bright, and Robin is just waking up. Though, as she was, she noticed something was a little off.

 

_'That's strange,'_ she thought. _'for some reason, I feel as though my mattress and pillow are both hard as rocks.'_

 

She reached up with her right wing to feel around...and she got a moan in response, causing her to gasp quietly.

 

"Hey...you awake, already? You look like you slept good."

 

   Robin looked up, and she saw Zoro, who was already awake. A pause...until, she began to remember what went on the night before, and she smiled.

 

"Hm," she chuckled. "Good morning."

 

"Morning." Zoro replied.

 

Robin yawned as she sat up.

 

"So, did you sleep well?" Zoro asked.

 

" _Yes,_ " Robin answered in Russian. " _Very well._ "

 

"That's good," Zoro grinned. "So did I."

 

Next, Zoro sat up and yawned, showing all of his teeth. Then, he and Robin got out of bed and got dressed.

 

"Zoro?" Robin asked.

 

"Yeah?" Zoro inquired.

 

"There's something you should know about us Cranes." she answered.

 

"What's that?" he asked.

 

"Well," Robin began, "when we mate, it's for life."

 

"Really?" Zoro asked, blinking.

 

"Yes." Robin nodded.

 

After saying this, she held Zoro's arm.

 

"I heard...tigers don't do that, though," she spoke up. "Is that true?"

 

"Nah," Zoro answered. "not all of us are like that. Some of use mate for life, too."

 

Hearing him say that made her smile a little.

 

"Thank you, Zoro." she told him.

 

"You're welcome, Robin." he replied. "Now, come on. Let's meet up with the others."

 

"What will they think?" Robin asked. "About us?"

 

"Look, I'm sure they're gonna start cheering when they hear about it...well...except Chopper and the cook, basically because I don't think Chopper knows what 'the deed' is and the cook just freakin' hates me."

 

"Oh..." Robin muttered.

 

"Now, let's go." Zoro told her.

 

"Right." Robin nodded as she and Zoro left the room.

 

*****Meanwhile*****

 

"Guys!" Luffy cried. "You won't believe what happened last night!"

 

"Why?" Chopper asked. "What happened?"

 

"Yeah, what happened?" Sanji asked.

 

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." Luffy muttered, sweating bullets. "I..."

 

"Luffy, don't you dare say it!" Nami shouted. "If Zoro found out, he'd kill us both!!"

 

"Found out about what?" Sanji and Chopper asked.

 

"Forget it!" Nami answered.

 

"Yeah!" Luffy added.

 

"Uh...okay." Sanji muttered.

 

Right outside, who else should happen to be listening in than Usopp?

 

"Good thinking, you guys." he muttered. "Zoro would skin you both alive if he knew...and for that matter, if he ever found out that I saw them, he'd kill me, too!"

 

   Zoro and Robin still had not arrived, yet. "Yet" being the keyword. In the hallway, the swordsman and the archaeologist are making their way towards the others.

 

"Robin?" Zoro asked.

 

"Yes, Zoro?" Robin answered. "What is it?"

 

"I think that maybe we should wait a little, before we tell everyone else about us." Zoro replied.

 

"Why?" the Crane Woman asked. "What's wrong?"

 

The Tiger Man sighed and answered, "I just don't have the time or the energy to deal with everyone's reaction. Especially the cook's."

 

"But, Zoro, they'll find out eventually," Robin pointed out. "Might as well tell them now."

 

"Do we have to?"

 

"Yes, we have to."

 

" _Takkun._ "

 

With that, they headed into the lobby where the others are.

 

"Oh! Zoro and Robin! Hi, Zoro and Robin!" Luffy greeted, rather nervously.

 

"Uh...hi," Zoro greeted, confused. "what's up with you all of a sudden?"

 

"Nothing!" Luffy answered. "Nothing's wrong, at all!"

 

Nami only face-pawed.

 

"Shoot me now...!" she whispered.

 

"Luffy, what's the matter?" Robin asked, concerned.

 

"You're acting weird." Zoro noted. "...Well, weirder."

 

"You guys, I'm fine." Luffy reassured. "It's not like Nami and I saw you and Robin profess your love for each other last night--DOH!!!"

 

The Monkey Man quickly covered his mouth after blurting out what he and Nami did.

 

" **YOU DID _WHAT?!_** " Zoro roared.

 

" **THEY DID _WHAT!?_** " Sanji roared as his body went aflame.

 

"Scary...!" Chopper whimpered.

 

"Oh, my god!" Robin cried as her face turned bright red and covered it in embarrassment.

 

"WHY'D YOU HAVE TO GO AND SAY IT, YOU DUMB-ASS!?!" Nami yelled.

 

"I didn't mean to, it just came out!" Luffy cried.

 

Sanji glared at Zoro.

 

"You...you... _ **YOU DAMN TIGER!!!**_ " Sanji roared before he lunged at Zoro.

 

Zoro ducked out of the way and Sanji ended up crashing into some barrels lying around.

 

"This is exactly what I've been dreading!" the Tiger Man shouted.

 

As Sanji stood up, tears streamed down his face as he snarled, "You miserable bastard... **YOU DEFLOWERED POOR ROBIN-CHAN!!!** "

 

"De-flowered?" Chopper repeated. "What does that mean?"

 

"Nothing you need to know, Chopper," Robin answered. "Trust me."

 

Chopper blinked for a moment, and soon, he shrugged.

 

"Oh, well." he spoke up.

 

Sequential to this, Zoro turned to Luffy and Nami, who gulped.

 

"Luffy...Nami..." the swordsman started, removing his bandanna from his left arm and tying it on his head as he slowly advanced towards the terrified Capuchin Monkey Man and Booted Puss Woman. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't chop you both to pieces where you stand, right here and now."

 

"Oh, dear." Robin muttered, worriedly.

 

"N-now, Zoro, let's not do anything rash," Nami spoke up, nervously. "It's not like we eavesdropped on you guys!"

 

"But Nami, that's exactly what we--" Luffy tried to say.

 

"KEEP YOUR BIG MOUTH SHUT, YOU MORON!!!" Nami snapped.

 

"AAAH!!"

 

Chopper gulped and covered his eyes. Usopp gulped, too.

 

_'Not good...!'_ he thought.

 

Next, Zoro slowly brandished _Wado Ichimonji_...not only that, his claws were out.

 

"Zoro, can't we talk about this?!" Nami asked.

 

"No." Zoro replied through gritted teeth.

 

"It's not like we meant to spy on you and Robin!" Luffy cried.

 

"I don't think he's listening, Luffy!" Nami told him.

 

Zoro continued to advance towards the captain and the navigator.

 

"Zoro, just let us explain!" Luffy begged. "Please!!"

 

"All right," Zoro responded. "You got 10 seconds."

 

   So, Luffy used this opportunity to explain to Zoro what happened as fast as he could. While doing so, he accidentally blurted out that he and Nami watched Zoro and Robin do it.

 

"AH, DAMMIT!!!" Luffy shouted.

 

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, LUFFY, WE WERE HOME FREE AND YOU WENT AND BLEW IT!!!" Nami yelled.

 

" **AHA!! I SHOULD'VE KNOWN!!!** " Zoro shouted. " **I CAN NEVER HAVE A MOMENT'S PRIVACY WITH YOU TWO SNOOPING AROUND AND STICKING YOUR NOSES WHERE THEY DON'T BELONG, CAN I?!** "

 

"RUN!!!" Luffy cried.

 

That's just what he and Nami did as they both ran away from the enraged Tiger Man.

 

" **COME BACK HERE SO THAT I CAN CUT YOU INTO PIECES!!!** " he roared.

 

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, LUFFY!!!" Nami shouted.

 

" **WAIT A MINUTE, MOSS-HEAD!!** " Sanji shouted as he chased after Zoro. " **I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!!! AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT LAYING EVEN ONE OF YOUR DIRTY CLAWS ON NAMI-SAN!!!** "

 

Usopp just sat there in shock and horror before he silently crept away.

 

_'Better them than me...!'_ he thought. _'If Zoro ever found out, he'd chop my tail off!!'_

 

As for Robin, she was still very flustered.

 

_'I can't believe they saw us...!'_ she thought. _'Why didn't I see this coming?!'_

 

"Robin?"

 

Robin glanced down to see Chopper right next to her.

 

"Yes, Chopper?"

 

"What's de-flowered mean?"

 

"Chopper, I'll tell you when you're older."

 

"But--"

 

"When you're older!"

 

"Okay..."

 

Robin sighed.

 

"Maybe we should've waited to tell everyone..." she muttered to herself.

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!" Luffy screamed as he and Nami ran from Zoro.

 

" **GET BACK HERE!!!!** " Zoro roared.

 

"NO!!! YOU'RE JUST GONNA CHOP US UP!!!" Luffy yelled.

 

" **YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT I AM!!!** " Zoro replied.

 

" **YOU CAN KILL LUFFY IF YOU WANT!!!** " Sanji shouted as he chased after Zoro. " **BUT, DON'T YOU DARE LAY A PAW ON NAMI-SAN!!!** "

 

"SOMEBODY HELP!!!!" Luffy cried. "HE'S GONE INSANE!!!!!"

 

"DAMMIT, LUFFY!!!!!" Nami shouted. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!! WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SUCH A BLABBERMOUTH?!!"

 

"I DON'T KNOW!!!" Luffy responded. "I JUST AM!!!!"

 

Zoro roared, causing both of them to scream.

 

" **COME BACK HERE~!!!!** " Zoro shouted.

 

"NO, YOU'RE JUST GONNA HURT US!!!" Luffy shouted back. "MOSTLY ME!!!"

 

" **YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT, MONKEY BOY!!!!** " the Tiger Man yelled. " **YOU AND NAMI SPIED ON US!!!!!** "

 

"WE DIDN'T MEAN TO!!!!" Luffy cried. "YOU HAD THE DOOR OPEN!!!!"

 

"THAT'S RIGHT!!!!" Nami agreed. "IF ANYTHING, IT'S YOUR FAULT!!!!!"

 

" **SHUT UP!!!!!** " Zoro roared. " **I'M STILL GONNA TURN YOU BOTH INTO MINCEMEAT!!!** "

 

" **DON'T YOU DARE HARM NAMI-SAN, MOSS HEAD!!!!** " Sanji yelled.

 

So, Zoro chased Luffy and Nami for almost half the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, _How To Train Your Dragon_. ^^
> 
>  
> 
> Did you honestly think I'd let Luffy and Nami get away, scott-free? ^^
> 
>  
> 
> AS IF!!!! XD
> 
>  
> 
> Oh, and Cranes really do mate for life.:)
> 
>  
> 
> You can look it up.:D
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy Part XXIV. ^^


	25. Part XXV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro apologizes to Robin.

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XXV**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This heart-warming series belongs to the stupendous Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

When we last left Nami and Luffy, they were both running for their lives when Zoro found out that they both saw him and Robin do the deed.

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!" Luffy screamed as he ran on all fours.

 

Zoro roared as he chased after Luffy. Not too far behind, Sanji was chasing Zoro.

 

"I'M STILL GONNA KICK YOUR ASS, MOSS HEAD!!!" he shouted.

 

Nami, who was still fleeing with Luffy, just sat on Luffy's shoulders as he ran.

 

"Yah, Luffy!" Nami shouted. "Giddy up!!"

 

"Stop that!" Luffy snapped. "I'm not a horse, for god's sake!!"

 

"Oh, be quiet, Luffy!" Nami yelled. "You're the reason that we're in this mess in the first place!"

 

Suddenly, they found themselves in a dead end!

 

"...Oh, fuzzy," Nami muttered. "Can things get any worse?!"

 

"Oh, guys..." Zoro called in a sing-song voice.

 

"...I had to ask." Nami deadpanned.

 

"I DON'T WANNA DIE!!!" Luffy screamed before he suddenly jumped out through a glass window.

 

(A/N: Guess where we got that one from. XD)

 

"AAH!!!" Nami screamed as she covered herself from any falling glass. "LUFFY, BE MORE CAREFUL!!!"

 

"SORRY!!"

 

   Next, Luffy continued to run. That's when Nami realized that Luffy had made a new escape route, and, trying to avoid the sharp glass, managed to make it outside.

 

Zoro tried to follow, but Sanji grabbed his tail!

 

"I don't think so, stripes!" he shouted.

 

"Let go, you freakin' cook!!!" Zoro barked. "You want to be sliced into mincemeat, too?!"

 

"If it's to protect Nami-san, then yes!!"

 

"You asked for it, cook."

 

Soon, the Tiger Man and Fox Man went at it while Luffy and Nami made their getaway.

 

"So, where do we hide until Zoro cools off?" Luffy asked.

 

"Who knows?" Nami asked. "Just keep going until you find a good hiding place!"

 

"Right!" Luffy responded.

 

That's just what he did. At the same time, Zoro and Sanji were still fighting each other.

 

"Let go of my tail, Moss-head!!!"

 

"Not until you let go of mine!"

 

Abruptly, several wings appeared and pulled them away from each other.

 

"WHAT THE!?" Zoro questioned.

 

"THAT'S ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU!!!" Robin shouted. "FOR GOODNESS SAKE, ACT YOUR AGE!!!!!"

 

"Yes, Robin." they both replied.

 

"That's better." spoke Robin.

 

   She instantaneously released her hold on the cook and the swordsman. Sanji scowled before he walked away, muttering to himself in French. Next, Robin walked over to Zoro. Of course, the Tiger Man was still peeved about what happened earlier.

 

"Don't even try to tell me to let it go," Zoro told her. "Damn cat and monkey should've minded their own business."

 

"Zoro, I'm a bit peeved at them, too." Robin responded. " Hell, I'm still extremely embarrassed about them watching us, but at least I forgive them."

 

"How can you forgive them?!" Zoro asked. "They violated our privacy!!"

 

"In a way, it's our fault," Robin pointed out. "We did leave the door open."

 

Zoro opened his mouth to argue, though he closed it when he realized she was right.

 

"...You got to admit, Zoro, they're probably happy for us." Robin spoke up.

 

"...Yeah, I guess," Zoro acknowledged. "That still doesn't give them the right to eavesdrop on us!"

 

Robin giggled as she scratched Zoro behind his ears. Naturally, this caused him to purr.

 

"Don't fuss," she whispered. "I'm sure they've learned their lesson."

 

"...I guess so." Zoro admitted.

 

Robin smiled.

 

"I guess now, they're not the only couple in the crew," Robin added. "Right?"

 

Zoro smiled.

 

"Yeah."

 

After a moment of silence, Zoro's smile faded.

 

"...Robin?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"About what?"

 

"For how I treated you before."

 

Robin smiled, again.

 

"Zoro, it's all right--"

 

"No, it's not!" Zoro interrupted. "You didn't deserve to be treated that way! Not after everything you went through!!"

 

"Zoro..."

 

"I hate myself for pushing you away all those times," Zoro went on. "Had I known about your past sooner...I never would've treated you that way. I'm sorry, Robin...and I don't blame you if you never forgive me."

 

"...If I didn't forgive you, Zoro," Robin began, "then I wouldn't have done all the things I did with you."

 

"Eh?" the swordsman muttered.

 

"I never blamed you," the archaeologist told him. "Not once."

 

Zoro was surprised by her words.

 

"Robin...I--"

 

Robin placed a finger/feather to his lips, shushing him.

 

"Don't speak," she told him. "all of that's in the past now."

 

   A pause...until, Zoro gently put his paws on Robin's face and captured her lips with his own. This action caught the latter off guard, nevertheless, she accepted the former's kiss and returned it.

 

"Mmm...!" she moaned. "Zoro...!"

 

The swordsman parted lips with Robin, asking her, "What did I do to deserve you?"

 

Robin smiled.

 

"I could ask the same about you," she replied. "but now...I think fate brought us together."

 

"I couldn't agree more." Zoro smiled.

 

Meanwhile, Luffy and Nami had finally stopped running and are now busy catching their breath.

 

"That was...too close..." Luffy spoke, gasping for air.

 

"I haven't been this scared since we entered the Calm Belt!" Nami added.

 

"Me, either!" cried the Monkey Man. "Seriously!!"

 

"Although,"

 

"Hm?"

 

"In a way, it is Zoro's fault for leaving the door open."

 

"That's what I've been saying the whole time!"

 

Afterwards, Nami smiled.

 

"Still, you've gotta admit...you gotta be happy for them." she spoke up.

 

"Yeah," Luffy smiled. "took 'em long enough."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoy Part XXV~!!! :D


	26. Part XXVI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Here, the Thousand Sunny makes her debut and Franky is forced to join the crew..._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XXVI**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This exciting series belongs to the unpredictable Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

   Hello, again. I hope you're all doing well. As for me, well...I couldn't be better. Zoro and I are now a couple. Not only that, but we... *clears throat* "did the deed", so to speak. I even told Zoro all about my past.

 

*sighs*

 

If this is a dream right now, I don't want to wake up from it. I'm just so happy...!

 

*sniffles*

 

My apologies.

 

   Anyway, we explained to Luffy that Franky was going to build a new ship for us and he was rather happy about it. Next, Nami goes over to the safe to check on the money...though, for some reason, she stuck her whole body inside, like she was looking around for something, and all she found was this little stack.

 

"Luffy, honey," she began. "what happened to our 100 million berries?"

 

"Oh, that? I already spent it all." he answered. "We needed to buy lots of meat and booze for the party."

 

After he said this, Zoro wisely left the room. Nami may have had a sweet smile on her face, but she was fuming on the inside.

 

"Spent it?" she repeated. "YOU SPENT ALL OF MY MONEY!?"

 

"Well, everyone was hungry." he told her.

 

Nami screamed and banged her head against the safe.

 

"How could you spend so much on food?! There's hardly anything left!"

 

"Of course, there isn't! The whole town was partying with us and they didn't go home until morning, remember? Sure was fun, huh?"

 

He began to laugh...until Nami started beating the crap out of him. Poor Luffy. You'd think he'd learn his lesson by now.

 

"Uh...since the ship's free, we'll be fine." he says. "So, no worries, right?"

 

"I just wanted to buy some nice furniture for the ship, is that so wrong?!" Nami sobbed.

 

"We can still check out the resale shops." I told her.

 

"Hey, can I have some of that money to go play with?" Luffy asks.

 

" **I'D SOONER TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE!!!** " Nami roared. " **YOUR ALLOWANCE IS REVOKED!!!!** "

 

***BAM!!!***

 

"Yes, ma'am...!"

 

Like I said, poor Luffy.

 

   So, anyway, Nami and I go out shopping for new clothes, Luffy and Chopper went off together, Sanji left to buy groceries, and Zoro went on his own somewhere. I think he said something about getting a new sword.

 

   Either way, we decided to enjoy ourselves until our new ship was ready. I hope Zoro hasn't gotten himself lost again. Maybe I should go and look for him.

 

*****A little later*****

 

Yup...he got lost, again. Why am I not surprised?

 

"Hey!"

 

That got his attention...

 

   At any rate, the log pose finally set to the next island. Apparently, it was known as Fishman Island. Nami felt a little melancholy about it, though. I wonder why.

 

   Zoro explained how the Fishmen over at the island weren't all that bad. Sanji, on the other hand, was ecstatic about going to Fishman Island, which wasn't surprising. He just wanted to see the mermaids that lived there.

 

   Once he saw Kokoro, he began pounding the floor while crying...apparently, he saw her in her... *ahem* true form. Doesn't bother me, because I've seen way worse.

 

(A/N: She has.)

 

Anyhoo, Kokoro explained how it wouldn't be easy getting to the island.

 

"I assumed that was the case, since it's at the bottom of the sea." I said.

 

"Eh, we'll figure it out on the way." spoke Luffy.

 

   Kokoro also explained how that wasn't going to be easy, either. Next, she informs us about a place called the "Florian Triangle". Mysterious things happen there, even for the Grand Line. At least 14 ships have disappeared from that part of the sea. They say it's actually haunted.

 

Poor little Chopper was scared out of his mind.

 

"Hanging out with a bunch of skeletons sounds cool!" exclaimed Luffy.

 

(A/N: YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN!!! XD)

 

"Hanging out?" Zoro repeated. "That's some imagination you've got."

 

"No way! No ghost ships for us! Not on my watch!" cried Nami. "We're passing straight through that place! I mean, what really happens in there?"

 

If I told her, she'd never want to sail again. Unfortunately, Kokoro explained it, scaring both Nami and Chopper in the process.

 

"Although, some people do call them ghost ships, abandoned vessels are often called treasure ships, too." I started. "We're more likely to find a ship filled with riches than the undead."

 

3...2...1...

 

"Yeah! Let's hunt down those ghost ships!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"All right! Leave it to me!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

You're welcome. ^^

 

   Anyway, Chopper really didn't want to go, Sanji planned on stocking up on food for the trip, and Zoro was wondering if any of the ghost ships we run into had any swords.

 

It was then that we heard Chimney, Gonbe, Mozu, and Kiwi calling us.

 

"By the way, Mr. Zoro!" Chimney spoke up. "Congrats on you and Big Sis Robin being a couple!"

 

"Who told you that!?" Zoro asked, flustered.

 

*Luffy whistles in the background*

 

"...Luffy."

 

"What?"

 

"You wouldn't by any chance have anything to do with this, right?"

 

"...No."

 

"Luffy."

 

"OKAY!! I CONFESS!!! NAMI AND I TOLD EVERYONE!!!!"

 

"YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT, IDIOT!!! NOW, I'M IN TROUBLE, TOO!!!!"

 

"GODDAMMIT!!!! ISN'T IT BAD ENOUGH THAT YOU EAVESDROP ON ME AND ROBIN?!?!!"

 

"What's the big deal, bro?"

 

(A/N: Kiwi.)

 

"Yeah, we're happy for you!"

 

(A/N: Mozu.)

 

"SHUT UP!!! I DON'T NEED YOUR OPINION!!!!"

 

"Zoro! Don't be rude!"

 

"Robin, come on!"

 

"They're happy for us, so we should thank them."

 

"...Fine."

 

"Thank you very much."

 

*Zoro doesn't say anything*

 

"Zoro!"

 

"All right! ...Thanks."

 

"That's better."

 

   Mozu, Kiwi, and Chimney came by to inform us that our ship is ready. I've been quite anxious to see it. Soon, the rest of the Franky family appeared and for some reason, they looked very distressed.

 

"First off, congrats on finally getting together," one of them, Zambai, spoke up.

 

"OH, COME ON!!!" Zoro shouted.

 

"And have you seen the wanted posters?!" he asked.

 

"Wanted posters?" Luffy repeated.

 

As it turns out, Luffy's bounty went up and not only that, now the whole crew has bounties.

 

"Took long enough!" exclaimed Sanji. "How much?!"

 

"Not me, too!" Nami cried.

 

"I'm wanted!" Chopper cried, hopeful.

 

Zambai showed us our new bounties.

 

"Straw Hat Luffy, 300 million Berries!"

 

*Luffy laughs*

 

"All right, it went up!"

 

"Pirate Hunter Zoro, 120 million Berries!"

 

"Heh!"

 

"Cat Burglar Nami, 16 million Berries!"

 

"Noo~!"

 

"Cotton Candy lovin' Chopper, pet, 50 berries."

 

"Ah...50?"

 

"Demon Child Robin, 80 million berries."

 

I only smiled.

 

(A/N: She may be happy, but I'm not. After all that's happened, the government only raises her bounty up by one million...tight wads. XC)

 

   After all that happened on Enies Lobby, my bounty doesn't really bother me anymore. Next was Sanji's wanted poster and for some reason...his picture was a very poor drawing.

 

He didn't take it too well.

 

"...Who's that?"

 

"Black Leg Sanji, attempt to take a photo failed, 77 million Berries."

 

Well, no wonder they had to do a drawing. Poor thing.

 

Usopp now has a bounty, too. Although, his picture was taken as "Sniper King". Why, I will never know.

 

"It's a long story, Robin."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Yeah, we'll explain later."

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"All right."

 

   At the moment, we couldn't celebrate our new bounties. Turns out Franky now has a bounty, too. This meant that he could no longer stay in Water 7 and Zambai begged us to take him in.

 

Well, he did build our ship for us, and he did protect me on the Bridge of Hesitation, not to mention that he unlocked my cuffs.

 

   However, Franky joining will be entirely up to Luffy. It's really his decision to make as captain and we must all abide by it, no matter what our objections are.

 

   In the end, Luffy agreed to take Franky with us, since he already decided to have him as our shipwright in the first place. As for the others...here's what they said:

 

_'My face...'_

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"Ugh. I don't care anymore."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

Chopper was still in shock.

 

"Of course," I said.

 

"Well, there you have it." Zoro added.

 

However, there was still one thing we had to talk about: Usopp.

 

   During my absence, he...had a heated argument with Luffy that ended with him leaving the crew. Apparently, he couldn't accept the thought of losing the _Going Merry_. After all, it was a gift from a very good friend of his. Still...she was nearly broken down. The fact that she managed to come to us at Enies Lobby alone, in spite of her state, was nothing short of a miracle.

 

   Now, he's actually considering coming back after all that's happened. What's more, Luffy even thought about letting him rejoin...although, Zoro stopped him. He wasn't exactly on board with Usopp coming back. Usopp left of his own free will, after all. He can't just come back and pretend that nothing happened.

 

   At first, Luffy and Nami were going to protest, until Zoro gave a very good explanation about how Luffy's the captain and how it wouldn't look good if his resolve was so weak. As long as Usopp wanted to apologize, it was all right, though he had to come to us.

 

   Zoro also told Luffy that the next time his resolve faltered like that again, he would be the one to leave the crew. We all know NONE OF US wanted that to happen...especially me.

 

Even if he did leave, I'd probably go with him.

 

"'Probably'? Are you saying that you wouldn't be able to decide between staying with the crew or leaving with me!?"

 

"Well, what do you want me to say?! 'Thanks for loving me, now scram'?!"

 

"I'd like it if you could back me up on this!"

 

"Oh, for goodness sake, you can be SUCH a child, you know that?!"

 

"And they say we're like a married couple."

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"I know, right?"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"STAY OUT OF THIS!!!"

 

(A/N: Robin and Zoro.)

 

Anyway, we all pack up our belongings and head over to see our new ship.

 

"So, we're all in agreement with Usopp, right?" Zoro asked.

 

Nami, Sanji, and Chopper were all still depressed...Luffy was silent...

 

*sighs*

 

   I hope Usopp decides to come soon. We leave with Mozu, Kiwi, Chimney, and Gonbe, and we see Iceberg waiting for us at the shore. We also see something large behind him and it was covered in a giant tarp. Our new ship, I presume.

 

   He, Franky, and all the other Galley-La shipwrights worked hard for 3 days to build it. When Iceberg finally unveiled our new ship...to say that we were awestruck was understatement.

 

She was lovely, and that sunflower for a figurehead was a nice touch, too!

 

"Actually, Franky intended for it to be a lion. Oh! Also, congratulations on you and Zoro becoming a couple."

 

(A/N: Iceburg.)

 

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!! LUFFY, YOU WENT AND TOLD THE MAYOR, TOO?!!"

 

"We did say that we told everybody."

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"...You know, Luffy? Sometimes, I really, REALLY hate you."

 

"Love ya, too, Zoro."

 

   Anyway, we take a look around the ship, and we find that it has everything we could've asked for, even a library! I feel like Belle from _Beauty and the Beast_.

 

(A/N: I had to do it. XD)

 

Zoro even got a little gymnasium in the Crow's Nest and Sanji got a fridge that locks with a number code.

 

"Finally, I can keep Luffy out of the fridge!"

 

"No fair!! How am I gonna get a midnight snack now?!"

 

"Who cares?! Deal with it, you glutton!!!"

 

   Moving on, now we had to find a way to get Franky to join us. Iceberg said that he really wanted to join, but he was avoiding us because if asked, he wouldn't be able to say no.

 

"So that's his game, huh?"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"Seems so."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"So, what should we do?"

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

"The only way he'll join is through force."

 

(A/N: Iceberg.)

 

"Through force, huh?"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

So, we all concocted a plan: using the help of the Franky Family, we would steal Franky's Speedo and hold them hostage.

 

...Yeah, don't read too much into it. Honestly, I'm a little disgusted myself.

 

*sighs*

 

   Oh, well. Anyhow, we set the plan into motion. It took a while, yet we managed to get Franky's attention. All that was left was to have him join. Luffy held Franky's Speedo in the air and said, "If you want your speedo back, you're gonna have to join my crew!"

 

   This is what Franky told him...all while posing naked...semi-naked, "Standing before the crashing waves, naked and proud, you wouldn't ask a lion to put on underwear, so why a man!?"

 

...I...I don't even...just...wow.

 

What was also shocking was that Luffy was actually amazed by Franky. At that instant, Nami smacked him upside his head.

 

"COME ON!!! HE'S OBVIOUSLY JUST A PERVERT!!!" she shouted.

 

I'd have to agree with her on that. Either way...

 

"It might get a little rough, but shall I lend a hand?" I asked.

 

"Huh? Actually, Ice-pops said before that if we want Franky to join, we're gonna have to use force to get our way." Luffy answered.

 

"But, what were you planning?" Nami inquired.

 

"You'll see," I answered before I cross my wings.

 

Please note that I am regretting what I'm about to do. Zoro, don't stop loving me.

 

"Dos Fleur...Grab."

 

*Robin grabs Franky's...nuts*

 

**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"**

 

"ROBIN!!! WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"OH, MAN!!! OW!!!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"YOU'RE GONNA CRUSH THEM, ROBIN!!! DON'T DO IT!!!"

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

"SHE'LL TEAR 'EM OFF!!!!"

 

(A/N: Mozu.)

 

"SHE'S GONNA CRUSH 'EM TO BITS!!!"

 

(A/N: Kiwi.)

 

"LIKE LITTLE ORANGES!!!!"

 

(A/N: Mozu and Kiwi.)

 

"THEY'RE CALLED TANGERINES!!!"

 

(A/N: Franky.)

 

"Robin!!! I still want him to be a man when he joins us!!!! Lay off!!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"Just looking at him hurts...!"

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

*Franky continues screaming*

 

"Everyone knows that pirates won't give up on treasure once they've set their sights on it," I started. "and now that we've had this in our palms so to speak, I won't let go without a fight."

 

   Like I said...I was seriously regretting this. Good thing I washed my wings afterwards. While I had Franky's...family jewels in my grasp, he said that he would like to come sailing with us, and by then, I let go (finally).

 

However, Franky was still wailing in pain, despite the fact that I had already let go. Turns out, he was only putting on an act in front of his gang.

 

*Robin chuckles*

 

   Truth is, he was actually crying because...he treated those people like they were his real family and the fact that he had to leave them was just heartbreaking. I almost feel bad for him, now.

 

"LUFFY!!!!"

 

(A/N: Zoro and Sanji.)

 

"What?"

 

"We've got bad news, captain!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"That stupid grandpa of yours came back for us, Luffy! He's got a whole bunch of marines on the other side of the island getting ready to hunt us down and take us out!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"Why!? I thought he said he was leaving!"

 

"We don't have time to figure that out, just set sail!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

*Sanji then spots Franky*

 

"OH, GOD!!! FRANKY, WHAT THE HELL, MAN?!!"

 

Afterwards, Luffy gives Franky his underwear back and he decides to join us.

 

"Next on the list of people to join's a musician!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"Oh, boy, here he goes again."

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"Babe, why do you want a musician in our crew so bad?"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"...Pirates sing."

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"He has a point."

 

"Robin, you, too?!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"What? It's the truth. Just what could be so terrible about having a musician on board?"

 

"See? Robin agrees!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"Oy..."

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

   Anyway, Franky says his goodbyes to his family and boards the ship. Of course, he puts his Speedo back on. Thank god...! I couldn't stand looking at his "ding-dong" much longer. Anyhoo, since we were all aboard, we began to set sail.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   Yo. Me, again. In case you haven't heard, Robin and I are now an item. I honestly don't know what to say about this. I mean, I am happy, for one thing. There's also the fact that Robin and I...*ahem* did it.

 

"Or as Jackie Burkhart would say, 'You proved your love'."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"SCREW YOU, NAMI!!!!!"

 

"Whatever."

 

   After we did it, Robin told me everything about her past. After that, I started to regret the way I treated her. I mean...had I known what she had been through, earlier...I just...I just...!

 

*Zoro sighs*

 

   It was unforgivable and she didn't deserve it, not after all the crap that she's been through. Despite that, she forgave me anyway. I don't know what I did to deserve someone like her.

 

Of course, I couldn't have one moment of happiness once Luffy and Nami stick their damn noses where they don't belong!

 

"Dude, it's your own damn fault for leaving the door open!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Yeah! You got no one to blame but yourself!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"What were you two even doing up at that late hour, anyway?!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"Luffy got hungry."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Seriously?"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"Yeah, and while we were walking to the kitchen, I noticed that Robin's door was open and when I was about to close it and then I spotted you guys getting it on."

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"D'OH!!!!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"We rest our case."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"DAMN YOU, MOSS-HEAD!!!! YOU'LL PAY FOR DEFILING ROBIN-CHAN!!!"

 

"WILL YOU GIVE IT A REST, YOU IDIOT COOK?!!"

 

"NOT UNTIL YOU TAKE YOUR DEATH LIKE A MAN!!!!"

 

*Zoro face-paws*

 

"Know what? Screw it."

 

   So, we tell Luffy that Franky's building a new ship for us and he was really excited about it, no surprise there. Nami opened the safe to check on the money, only there was just one stack. I decided right then and there to leave, because I know how bitchy she gets.

 

She asked Luffy what happened to all of the money and he tells her that he spent all of it...

 

"YOU SPENT ALL OF MY MONEY!?"

 

   See what I mean? So bitchy...you should've seen Luffy, afterwards. He was covered in so many lumps and bruises, I couldn't even recognize him. Luffy then asked if he could borrow any money and...this is what happened:

 

**"I'D SOONER TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE!!! YOUR ALLOWANCE IS REVOKED!!!!"**

 

***BAM!!!***

 

"Yes, ma'am...!"

 

   Anyway, we all decide to split up for a bit. Luffy and Chopper went off doing who-knows-what, Nami and Robin went shopping for furniture, the cook left to go shop for groceries, and I went off to buy a new sword. Like I said, I don't feel right with just two.

 

While I'm looking for a new sword, I somehow ended up in the backstreets.

 

"Zoro, you got lost."

 

(A/N: Robin.)

 

"I was not!! I just took a wrong turn, that's all!!"

 

"Mm-hmm."

 

*Zoro sighs*

 

   Moving on, the log pose had set (finally) and as soon as our new ship was done, we could leave for the next island. It's called Fishman Island and Nami wasn't all that thrilled about going there, cuz of Arlong.

 

   Don't blame her, really. I mean, she was practically a slave for 8 whole damn years. Though, not all fishmen are like that bastard and I told her that. Still, those scars are deep.

 

As for the dumb-ass cook, he was drooling over the thought of visiting Fishman Island. Spouting nonsense about seeing a mermaid.

 

Next, he starts crying after seeing Old Lady Kokoro. Don't know why.

 

"JUST LET ME DREAM, DAMMIT!!!!"

 

"Whatever."

 

So, Kokoro explained that getting to the island wouldn't be easy.

 

"I assumed that was the case, since it's at the bottom of the sea." Robin spoke up.

 

"Eh, we'll figure it out on the way." Luffy added.

 

   That's when the old lady told us about this place called the "Florian Triangle". Apparently, it's supposed to be haunted...not that I believe in that crap, mind you.

 

"BOO!!!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"HOLY F***!!!!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"You were saying, Moss Head?"

 

"LUFFY, I'LL RIP YOUR EYES OUT!!! COME HERE!!!"

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

 

*Zoro roars as he starts mauling Luffy*

 

"ZORO, NO!!! GET OFF OF LUFFY!!!! LET HIM GO!!!!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

*Nami tries to get Zoro off of Luffy*

 

"I'VE NEVER FELT THIS MUCH PAIN IN ALL OF MY LIFE~!!!!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"YEAH, AND YOU'RE GONNA GET IT A HUNDRED TIMES WORSE!!!!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"OCHO FLEUR!!!"

 

*eight wings appear and bind Zoro*

 

"Zoro, that is enough!!!"

 

"But he started it!!!"

 

"LEAVE LUFFY ALONE!!!"

 

*Zoro growls*

 

"Fine."

 

*Robin releases Zoro*

 

"Good boy."

 

*Zoro blushes a little*

 

"Luffy, are you okay?!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Yeah, I think so! Uh...why can't I feel my left arm?"

 

"...Chopper?"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"On it!"

 

*Chopper patches Luffy up*

 

Anyway, Chopper was freaking out about that place. Typical.

 

Luffy also thought it be cool to hang out with a bunch of skeletons. Also very typical.

 

"No way! No ghost ships for us! Not on my watch!" Nami cried. "We're passing straight through that place! I mean, what really happens in there?"

 

   Kokoro answered her question and she and Chopper freak out. That was when Robin says something about there being treasure hidden on the ghost ships and just like that, Nami's excited to go to the Florian Triangle, as well as Luffy.

 

"You're welcome."

 

(A/N: Robin.)

 

Chopper was the only one not on board with the whole idea. Poor little fella.

 

   Still, I wonder if those ghost ships have any swords, cuz I could really use one. At that moment, Chimney, her pet rabbit, and those two chicks with the long noses show up.

 

"By the way, Mr. Zoro!" Chimney spoke. "Congrats on you and Big Sis Robin being a couple!"

 

"Who told you that!?"

 

*Luffy whistles in the background*

 

"...Luffy."

 

"What?"

 

"You wouldn't by any chance have anything to do with this, right?"

 

"...No."

 

"Luffy."

 

"OKAY!! I CONFESS!!! NAMI AND I TOLD EVERYONE!!!!"

 

"YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT, IDIOT!!! NOW I'M IN TROUBLE, TOO!!!!"

 

"GODDAMMIT!!!! ISN'T IT BAD ENOUGH THAT YOU EAVESDROP ON ME AND ROBIN?!?!!"

 

   SERIOUSLY, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE TWO BLABBERMOUTHS?!!?! IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT THEY SPY ON US, NOW THEY GOTTA TELL THE WHOLE WORLD THAT ROBIN AND I F***ED!?

 

"We didn't say that, exactly. We just said you were a couple now."

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT!!!!"

 

"What's the big deal, bro?"

 

(A/N: Kiwi.)

 

"Yeah, we're happy for you!"

 

(A/N: Mozu.)

 

"SHUT UP!!! I DON'T NEED YOUR OPINION!!!!"

 

"Zoro! Don't be rude!"

 

"Robin, come on!"

 

"They're happy for us, so we should thank them."

 

"...Fine."

 

"Thank you very much."

 

*Zoro doesn't say anything*

 

"Zoro!"

 

"All right! ...Thanks."

 

"That's better."

 

*Zoro groans*

 

My god. Why does this crap always happen to me? Why, I ask you?!

 

*sighs*

 

   Anyway, they tell us that our new ship is ready. About damn time. But before we can go and check it out, Zambai and the others show up and they looked really worried for some reason.

 

"First off, congrats on finally getting together," Zambai started.

 

"OH, COME ON!!!" I shouted.

 

Seriously?! Luffy and Nami blabbed to them, too?!!

 

"We did say everybody, dude."

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"Yeah, Zoro, weren't you listening?"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

F*** my life. Anyway, turns out our new bounties came out, today.

 

"Straw Hat Luffy, 300 million Berries!"

 

*Luffy laughs*

 

"All right, it went up!"

 

"Pirate Hunter Zoro, 120 million Berries!"

 

"Heh!"

 

"Cat Burglar Nami, 16 million Berries!"

 

"Noo~!"

 

"Cotton Candy lovin' Chopper, pet, 50 berries."

 

"Ah...50?"

 

"Demon Child Robin, 80 million berries."

 

*Robin smiles*

 

   Good to see her happy. I guess after all that's happened, she really doesn't let her bounty bother her anymore...which is a good thing! I'm not saying it's bad, I just figured that...you know what? N-never mind. On with the story.

 

Next up was the cook's bounty and...oh, man...!

 

*Zoro snickers*

 

"...Who's that?"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"Black Leg Sanji, attempt to take a photo failed, 77 million Berries."

 

*Zoro bursts out laughing*

 

Oh, man, and just when I was starting to think this day couldn't any better, IT JUST DID!!!

 

Oh, and "Sniper King" now has a bounty, as well. 30,000,000 berries, just like Luffy's first bounty. Huh. Not bad.

 

   I'm still upset with that long nosed bastard. Speaking of whom, we still had to talk about him. Apparently, the cook says he's been spotted around town, rehearsing his apology.

 

Hmph. Typical Ferret.

 

Not only that, but Luffy's thinking about taking him back. Like hell, he is!

 

"All of you, hold on a second!"

 

They all look at me.

 

"I understand that you wanna see him again, but I won't allow you to bring him back here."

 

"Huh?" Luffy asked. "Why not?!"

 

"You can't kiss his ass and tell him you're happy to see him again," I answered. "you know that."

 

"Zoro."

 

"Until he bows his head and apologizes for what he did, he can't come back." I added.

 

Seriously, am I the only one with sense, here?! Next, Chopper starts screaming at me.

 

"Hey, I don't know what your problem is," Nami says, "but--"

 

"Shut up!"

 

About time I said something to the stupid cat bitch.

 

(A/N: Quite possibly the ONLY time he'll EVER stand up to Nami.)

 

"It doesn't matter what you two were thinking when you started arguing. It doesn't matter who was wrong, or who was right, either. When two men agree to have a duel with each other, no matter what the outcome is, they _have_ to accept it."

 

"I hate to say it, but for once, Moss-head's right," the cook says.

 

This is one of the only times that he actually agrees with me.

 

"And after he lost that duel, he left by his own accord."

 

Next, I face the others.

 

"You understand, don't you? He may be an idiot, but this guy here's still out captain. We're better off without a crewmember who doesn't respect their leader when things get rough. A crew with no respect and a captain that doesn't demand it are destined to fall apart, quickly."

 

Seriously, we're not a bunch of f***ing kids in kindergarten playing pirates! This is real, goddamn it!

 

"Listen, I don't mind if you're easy-going most of the time, but right now, you gotta man up! You can't let people walk all over you, cuz if you do that, it's gonna be me who leaves this crew!"

 

And I mean every word of it.

 

"I actually think I'd have to go with you if you do leave."

 

(A/N: Robin.)

 

"You 'think' you'd have to go with me?! Either you want to go with me or you don't! Make up your mind, woman!!!!"

 

"Don't you yell at me!! You expect me to not leave the crew with you?!"

 

"Well, if you wanted to, then yes!"

 

(A/N: Okay, people, we're gonna give these two a moment. During that time, why not watch this clip of Ren Kouha slaughtering a group of bandits? (:

 

*shows clip of Ren Kouha slaughtering bandits*

 

OH, JEEZ!!!

 

...Uh, let's switch to a less violent clip.

 

*Kuro chases a butterfly*

 

Awwww~!

 

Yeah, Kuro-chan's a real cutie-pie. ^^

 

I think Zoro and Robin have stopped arguing now.)

 

"You're making this more complicated than it needs to be!" said Nami.

 

"Don't get me wrong, it's fine if he joins the crew again, and it's fine if you want him back...but, if he doesn't apologize for what he did and pretends like nothing ever happened between the two of you, then I won't forgive him and I won't stand for it. In other words, we'll leave the island without him."

 

Don't get me wrong, I actually don't wanna leave Usopp, either, but come on! He can't just come back and act like nothing happened!

 

"Wait, Zoro, I agree that Usopp's the one at fault, not Luffy, but we can settle that with him after he joins up with us again."

 

*Zoro unsheathes _Wado Ichimonji_ and stabs the floor*

 

"So, the fact that he leaves our crew means nothing and he can come and go as he pleases?!"

 

"No, but I..."

 

"Nami," the cook started. "I hate to admit it, but just this once, I have to agree with what he's saying."

 

"If he pulls a pointless stunt like this on a whim, then how are we supposed to trust him moving forward? It's simple, if the first thing that comes out of Usopp's mouth is an apology, then we're good. But, if he tries to make some excuse, then he's no longer welcome. We're not just pretending to be pirates. This isn't a game."

 

Damn right, this isn't a game.

 

"You're right. We already went our separate ways before." Luffy said. "There's still a few days until they finish with the ship. We can wait that long."

 

*Luffy sits down*

 

"It's all up to him."

 

Good call, Captain.

 

   Now, back to the current events, we weren't the only ones who had new bounties. Turns out Franky got one, too. Which means he can't stay at Water 7 anymore. So, the Franky Family asked us to take him with us.

 

To be honest, I don't want him to join us.

 

"Zoro!"

 

(A/N: Robin.)

 

"What?!"

 

"How can you say that?!"

 

"Oh, gee, Robin, I don't know! Maybe because he's a weirdo in a Speedo!"

 

"Ha! Kinda rhymes!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"SHUT UP, LUFFY!!! NO ONE ASKED YOU!!!"

 

"Zoro, please. They're begging us to help their brother. Plus, he did build us our new ship. It's the least we could do!"

 

"...Dammit, why do you have to have such a good heart?"

 

"Call it genes."

 

"That is not what I mean and you know it."

 

*Robin just chuckles*

 

Anyhoo, Luffy agrees to take Franky in. Typical.

 

   The others just didn't care, seeing as how they were still bummed about their bounties. Chopper seemed to take it the hardest. I don't blame him, really. I mean...50 berries? He was trying to make a good impression in the pirate world, and the Government mistakes him for a freaking pet?!

 

"Thank you for understanding, Zoro."

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

"Hey, you're as much a man as I am, and you put in a good effort back there. You should've at least earned 12,000,000 or something! I mean, yeah, it's low, but you deserve one that's at least between 1 million and 20 million! Come on!"

 

"I agree, his bounty's a joke, but what about me!? My bounty picture's of me in my bikini! What's everyone gonna think when they see me like that?!"

 

"It's your own fault, Nami. You thought you were posing for a magazine."

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"Though, you gotta admit, that's a smoking photo of you."

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"...You really think so?"

 

"Oh, totally! I mean, they really got your good side! Look at that angle!"

 

*Nami giggles*

 

"Oh, Luffy...you always know how to cheer me up, huh?"

 

"Well, you know me! I aim to please! Shishishishi!"

 

*Zoro rolls his eyes*

 

Moving on. We pack up our stuff and head to our new ship.

 

"So, we're all in agreement with Usopp, right?" I asked.

 

The others were still bummed, but they still agreed, and we leave with the long nose twins, Chimney, and Gonbe.

 

When we get to the shore, we see Old Man Iceberg, as well as this big thing covered in a tarp.

 

_'Gotta be our new ship.'_ I'm thinking.

 

Turns out it is and it looked badass!

 

I think it's a lion or something. Next, the old man congratulates me and Robin on finally becoming a couple.

 

You know what? I-I'm not gonna yell at Luffy and Nami this time. It's just not worth it.

 

   So, we check out the new ship and she had everything! A library, a kitchen with a fridge that locks (finally), separate quarters for the guys and the girls, a sick bay for Chopper to work in, a bar with an aquarium in it, and to top it all off, A FREAKING GYMNASIUM IN THE CROW'S NEST!!! LIFE IS GOOD!!!

 

"Wow, Zoro! I didn't think you'd go nuts over that!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"Why wouldn't I?! It's a gymnasium in the Crow's Nest!! Do you know how long I wanted one of these?!"

 

"A long time."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Exactly!"

 

*Zoro clears his throat*

 

Anyway, there was still getting Franky to join us. Now...you're gonna think the plan we have is crazy...and it is.

 

See...what we're gonna do is...steal Franky's Speedo and not give it back until he agrees to join us.

 

*Zoro shudders*

 

My god, it's disgusting.

 

"I agree. Who knows where those things have been, aside from his crotch?"

 

(A/N: Robin.)

 

"AAAH!!! I GOT A MENTAL PICTURE!!! OH, MY GOD, I NEED TO WASH MY BRAIN!!!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"ME, TOO!!!! I CURSE THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T SELL BRAIN BLEACH IN STORES!!!!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"AAAAAAAAAAHH!! MY EYES!!! I'VE GONE BLIND!!!!"

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

   Might as well get it over with...but I'm not gonna like it. Anyhow, we carry out our plan, playing "keep away" with Franky (gaining the attention of everyone in town as we did so), and finally, we handed his Speedo off to Luffy.

 

   Franky started chasing after him, and the people were pretty angry, since they started throwing trash and stuff at him while calling him a pervert (don't blame them, really), and they had to cover the kids' eyes, and there happened to be a visiting princess from another country who saw him, but we managed to get him to the ship.

 

   And...well, I didn't know what happened after that. Though, I did happen to spot something while the cook and I waited. It was...a Marine battleship with a dog...?

 

...Oh, f***, it's Luffy's psychotic grandfather.

 

"YO, COOK, WE GOTTA BOUNCE!"

 

"AH, S***!! WE'RE OUTTA HERE!!!"

 

*Zoro and Sanji run*

 

"HEY, LUFFY, WE GOTTA BOOK IT!!!"

 

"Huh? How come?"

 

"That stupid grandpa of yours came back for us, Luffy! He's got a whole bunch of marines on the other side of the island getting ready to hunt us down and take us out!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"Why!? I thought he said he was leaving!"

 

"We don't have time to figure that out, just set sail!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

*Sanji then spots Franky*

 

"OH, GOD!!! FRANKY, WHAT THE HELL, MAN?!!"

 

Ugh...! I think I might need to wash out my eyes...and my brain!

 

(A/N: If only they sold Brain Bleach in stores.): )

 

   Moving on! We all got on board our new ship, and Franky, after saying goodbye to all his friends, got on with us (thank god he put his Speedo back on). Now, on to our next destination.

 

But first...we had to see if Usopp was gonna show up or not. For his sake, he better come back with an apology.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy, everybody.:D


	27. Part XXVII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Usopp finally apologizes._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XXVII**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This phenomenally wondrous series belongs to the astonishing Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

*****Robin's POV*****

 

Here we are on our new ship, only we haven't gone that far from Water 7, yet. Did I mention the Marines are after us? No?

 

Well, they are.

 

*sigh*

 

Just another day in the life of a pirate, I suppose. What's even worse is that Luffy's demented grandfather is chasing us.

 

"AS IF YOU NEED TO REMIND ME!!!"

 

"WHAT'CHU YELLIN' AT MY WOMAN FOR?!"

 

"I CAN'T HELP IT!!! I'M SCARED OUTTA MY MIND!!! YOU'D BE TOO IF THAT WERE YOUR GRANDPA CHASING US!!!! I DON'T WANNA DIE!!! I WANNA LIVE!!! LIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!"

 

*Luffy breaks down in comical tears*

 

"LU, BABY!!! GET A GRIP!!! YOU'RE NOT GONNA DIE!!! YOU'RE GONNA SURVIVE THIS!!! ALL OF US WILL!!!"

 

"Thank you, Nami...!!"

 

"Anytime, hon."

 

Anyway, we fight Garp and his men, only Garp seems to be throwing cannonballs at us...with his own bare hands, no less!

 

"I TOLD YOU HE WAS SCARY!!!"

 

"You weren't kidding!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"He's a beast!!"

 

(A/N: Franky.)

 

"I'm starting to see the familial resemblance!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"Exactly what it means! You got your crazy strength from him!!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"He has a point."

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

*Robin clears her throat*

 

   Moving on. As we're escaping, Usopp called out to us...only...we chose to ignore him. It's as Zoro said before, if the first thing that comes out of Usopp's mouth is not an apology, then we're leaving him behind.

 

   I hate to say it, but he's right. This is for his own good, and for Luffy's, too. Chopper kept telling us that Usopp's calling us, nonetheless we still refused to acknowledge him.

 

   All the while, we're still trying to avoid Vice-Admiral Garp's attacks. Chopper still kept telling us that Usopp was calling out to us, and we our response was that we didn't hear anyone.

 

Still...even I had to admit this was a bit cruel. Nevertheless, we had to do it.

 

*Robin sighs*

 

"Robin, I don't like this either, but we have to do it."

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"I know. I'm still not happy about it. I'm sure Luffy isn't either."

 

"No kidding! He and Usopp were like best friends!!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"Which is exactly why he has to come back!"

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

*Robin clears her throat, again*

 

My apologies. We all continued to ignore him, until...

 

" **I'M SORRY~!!!** "

 

...There it is.

 

" **I'M TOO STUBBORN, I KNOW!!! I TAKE BACK EVERY WORD I SAID~!!!!** "

 

There was a pause...

 

"I know I'm being pathetic...I know I quit...! But won't you let me take it back, please~!!!! I'm begging you!!! You gotta forgive me!!! If I'm not with you, there's no point!!! Don't leave me alone, I need you guys!!! I'll do anything, please let me join the crew!!! **JUST ONE MORE TIME~!!!!** "

 

"...About damn time he said something."

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

Soon, Luffy stretches his arm out to Usopp.

 

"Luffy...!"

 

" **HURRY UP~!!!! GRAB ON, ALREADY~!!!!** "

 

He's crying while he's saying this, by the way. Poor dear.

 

"Pretty lame, you two! Pull it together!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"You should talk! You're crying, too!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

*Robin chuckles*

 

   At any rate, Luffy pulls Usopp to the ship, and they land on the deck, crying with joy. This was after they knocked heads, due to Luffy pulling Usopp back a little too fast. Still, we were happy that Usopp decided to come back.

 

   Now, we just had to escape Vice Admiral Garp. At that moment, out of nowhere, Franky decides to stop the ship. Why he did this is beyond me.

 

"Hey, Franky! Why'd you stop the ship?!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"We can't leave until we give this ship a name."

 

(A/N: Franky.)

 

"A NAME!? AT A TIME LIKE THIS!?"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"Of course! This is our maiden voyage, there's no point if we don't do it now."

 

(A/N: Franky.)

 

Good point.

 

"Whatever it is, it's gotta have lion in it, right?" Sanji asked.

 

"Wait, I got it!" Luffy exclaimed. "I just thought of the perfect name! The Black Bear-Polar Bear-Lion-Tiger!!!"

 

"THAT'S A HORRIBLE NAME FOR A SHIP!!!" Usopp yelled as he hit Luffy on the head. "NO WAY!!!"

 

Oh, Luffy...so childish.

 

*Robin giggles*

 

   At any rate, the others started to suggest all sorts of names. Even I got into the act. Though, Franky mentioned that Iceberg had a suggestion on what to name our new ship: The _Thousand Sunny_.

 

" _Thousand Sunny_ , huh? I like it."

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"I was going to suggest 'Creature of Darkness'."

 

*the reader gives Robin a weird look*

 

Oh, don't give me that. Compared to all of my other dark jokes, this is the least dark.

 

(A/N: She's got a point.)

 

"I like 'Monstrous Sunflower', personally."

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

"Have you people lost your minds?!"

 

(A/N: Usopp.)

 

"A ship to sail a thousand seas with a sunny smile," I said. "it's perfect, don't you think?"

 

"Don't get too excited, you guys, that was just a warm-up." Franky spoke up.

 

   Apparently, he thought of his own name to give the ship, only we weren't listening to him. Still, it was a nice ship. We all settled on the name and Franky was melancholy about not giving _Sunny_ the name that he picked out. Poor thing.

 

At least he snapped out of it a little later.

 

"Uh, guys? I hate to be a stickler, but WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT LUFFY'S PSYCHOPATHIC GRAMPS?!!"

 

(A/N: Usopp.)

 

"Relax! I got it covered! Now you're gonna see what this SUPER ship can do!!"

 

(A/N: Franky.)

 

He better hurry. I don't like the looks of that giant iron ball.

 

"HOLY F***, WE CAN'T DODGE THAT!!!! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE~!!!!"

 

(A/N: Usopp.)

 

"HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DODGE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!"

 

(A/N: Sanji.)

 

I wonder that, myself. Also, where did Franky go?

 

"I think he went down below deck. Said something about 'making preparations' or whatever."

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

"He better hurry up because that iron ball's COMING RIGHT FOR US!!!!"

 

(A/N: Usopp.)

 

*Chopper screams*

 

"COUP DE BURST!!!!"

 

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the ship just blasts off into the sky!

 

"AWESOME~!!!"

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

"I can't believe it, I never thought I'd feel this again, but here I am...!"

 

(A/N: Usopp.)

 

   Subsequently, Franky explained that in order to fly for a whole kilometer, _Sunny_ needs three barrels of cola. Still...what an amazing feeling. Reminds me of when we first went to Skypiea. Who would've thought a ship could fly?

 

*Robin chuckles*

 

   Anyhow, Franky said that this ship now carries the spirit of the _Going Merry_ within her. Whatever damages she receives, he'll fix her up right away. After all, he is the shipwright.

 

   After we escaped, we had a party to celebrate mine and Usopp's return, as well as the recruitment of Franky, and our new ship, _Sunny_. It wasn't as wild as the party we had back at Water 7, though it was close.

 

   Either way...I was happy. Happy to finally put my dark past behind me. Not only that, but I had a man who loved me at my side. I won't ever let him go, no matter what.

 

*****Zoro's POV*****

 

   Yo. Zoro here. Here we are, on our new ship, running for our lives from Luffy's psycho grandpa. Right now, he's hurtling cannonballs at us...WITH HIS BARE HANDS!!!!

 

SERIOUSLY, WHO DOES THAT?!!?

 

"My grandpa, apparently."

 

"DON'T REMIND ME!!!"

 

Moving on. As we're trying to repel Garp's attacks, we hear Usopp calling out to us...and we ignore him.

 

   Like I said, unless the first thing that comes out of that ferret's mouth was an apology, we're ditching him. Chopper keeps telling us that he's calling us, yet we refused to say that we heard him. This is for his own damn good!

 

Even if we didn't like it. However...just when we're about to leave him behind...we hear this.

 

" **I'M SORRY~!!!** "

 

...About damn time.

 

" **I'M TOO STUBBORN, I KNOW!!! I TAKE BACK EVERY WORD I SAID~!!!!** "

 

That dumbass.

 

"I know I'm being pathetic...I know I quit...! But won't you let me take it back, please~!!!! I'm begging you!!! You gotta forgive me!!! If I'm not with you, there's no point!!! Don't leave me alone, I need you guys!!! I'll do anything, please let me join the crew!!! **JUST ONE MORE TIME~!!!!** "

 

"...About damn time he said something."

 

Soon, Luffy stretches his arm over to Usopp.

 

"Luffy...!"

 

" **HURRY UP~!!!!"** he shouts. **"GRAB ON, ALREADY~!!!!** "

 

Those two idiots.

 

"Pretty lame, you two! Pull it together!"

 

(A/N: Nami.)

 

"You should talk! You're crying, too!"

 

   Anyway, Luffy pulls that ferret back, hitting both their heads in the process, and they're crying like babies. Morons...I'm glad Usopp's back, nonetheless. He may be a prideful dumbass, although...the crew wouldn't be the same without him.

 

Now, all we gotta do is escape that lunatic grandpa of Luffy's. Suddenly, Franky decides to stop the ship...and at the worst possible time, too!

 

Turns out that he did it cuz the ship needs a name.

 

"A NAME!?" the cook yelled. "AT A TIME LIKE THIS!?"

 

"Of course!" Franky answered. "This is our maiden voyage, there's no point if we don't do it now."

 

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right.

 

"Whatever it is, it's gotta have lion in it, right?" Sanji asked.

 

   True. Next, Luffy starts coming up with all sorts of stupid names for the ship. Even the cook and Robin got in on the act. As well as me, I wanted to name her "Big Boss Lion". Robin wanted to name her "Creature of Darkness"...eh, it's not so dark. The cook wanted to name her "Monstrous sunflower."

 

"Seriously, cook? That's just ridiculous!"

 

"Oh, and Big Boss Lion's _sooo_ badass?!"

 

"You trying to start something?!"

 

"Boys, boys! No fighting."

 

(A/N: Robin.)

 

*Zoro and Sanji growl at each other*

 

"Zoro..."

 

"Huh?"

 

*Robin gives him a pleading look*

 

"Please don't fight."

 

*Zoro blushes*

 

"O-o-okay."

 

"Thank you, Zoro."

 

*Zoro clears his throat*

 

At any rate, turns out Mayor Iceberg already thought of a name. The _Thousand Sunny_.

 

"Not bad."

 

"I like it! Way better than Tiger-Polar Bear-Lion!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

_WAY_ better. Franky thought of a name, too, only we weren't really paying attention and it was probably dumb, anyway.

 

"HEY!!!"

 

(A/N: Franky.)

 

"Oh, come on, Franky! _Thousand Sunny_ sounds way cooler than the name you came up with! I'll take that any day!!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"Zoro, be nice!"

 

(A/N: Robin.)

 

"What?! We're all thinking it!!"

 

*Robin glares at Zoro, causing him to flinch*

 

"Sorry, Franky."

 

"Don't worry about it, man."

 

   Anywho, Garp later brings out this giant iron ball, which is WAY BIG, by the way, and Franky went down below deck to make some final preparations...

 

Whatever they were, he'd better hurry up, OR ELSE WE'RE ALL SUNK!!!!!

 

"MOMMY~!!!!"

 

(A/N: Chopper.)

 

"DAMMIT, LUFFY, YOUR GRAMPS IS GONNA KILL US ALL!!!!"

 

(A/N: Zoro.)

 

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT!?!!? FRANKY, HURRY IT UP, ALREADY!!!!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

Seriously, what is taking him so long?!

 

"COUP DE BURST!!!!"

 

   At that instant, just when we're about to be flattened, the ship shoots off into the sky! Like a freakin' rocket!! Franky said that _Sunny_ could fly for a whole kilometer, which is pretty impressive.

 

"SO COOL~!!!"

 

(A/N: Luffy.)

 

   Reminds me of when we first went to Skypiea, only we don't go above the clouds. Eventually, we land in another part of the Grand Line, far away from that lunatic grandfather of Luffy's.

 

   Once we do, we have another party to celebrate our new friends and return of old friends. It wasn't as crazy as the one we had back at Water 7, though. Still, we were happy...especially me.

 

We got Usopp back, we got a new ship and a new shipwright, and best of all...I've got the girl I love here with me.

 

"Awwwww~!!!!"

 

(A/N: Luffy and Nami.)

 

"SHADDUP!!!"

 

Anywho, everything is just perfect, now. Let's hope it stays that way and no matter what happens, I'm never letting Robin go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Usopp, you ever pull a stunt like the one you pulled after hearing that the _Merry_ was dying again, I'm gonna break my foot off dead in your ass! XC
> 
>  
> 
> Only one more chapter left!:)
> 
>  
> 
> I can't believe how long it's been since we started _The Demon and the Flower_. Seems as if it was only yesterday...in a way, I'm kinda depressed that it's ending.:(
> 
>  
> 
> Between Freedom and TDatF, I had fun writing this one the most. ^^
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy, everyone.:D


	28. Part XXVIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The final chapter of The Demon and the Flower._

**One Piece PETs: The Demon and the Flower Part XXVIII**

 

(I do not, nor will I EVER, own One Piece. This indescribable series belongs to the unpredictable Eiichiro Oda.)

 

 

   The Straw Hat's party had ended a little while ago and now, the sun is setting. Zoro sat by the railing of the ship, napping. Luffy is sitting on the figurehead, smiling ear-to-ear. Chopper and Usopp were fishing. Nami was working on her maps in the library. Sanji was washing the dishes, and Franky was standing at the helm, steering the _Sunny_.

 

   Robin walked over to the sleeping Tiger Man and she smiled as she sat down next to him. Zoro smiled, too, because he recognized Robin's scent. Next, Robin gently scratched behind Zoro's ear, causing him to purr.

 

"That's a good way to wake me up," he spoke. "What's goin' on?"

 

"I wanted to talk with you," Robin answered.

 

"About what?" Zoro asked.

 

"Well...remember the party at Water 7?" the archaeologist inquired.

 

"Yeah." the swordsman answered. "What about it?"

 

"Well...there's something you don't know," Robin replied. "I was actually visited that evening...by Aokiji."

 

"What?!" Zoro questioned as he sat up. "He didn't hurt you, did he?! I swear to god, if he--"

 

"No, he didn't hurt me," the Crane Woman explained. "he only wanted to talk."

 

"About what?" the Tiger Man inquired. "About how you'd betray us when that obviously didn't happen?"

 

"There's that," Robin answered. "he also wanted to know why I didn't run away this time."

 

"And?"

 

"I told him that I couldn't do that," Robin explained. "Now that I met all of you...there's no reason to run."

 

Zoro smiled at her words.

 

"What'd he have to say to that?" he asked.

 

"Well," she began, "he wanted me to prove to him that Saul was right, which I plan on doing. He then told me to live my life with courage and prove that Ohara's still alive."

 

   Zoro smiled and put his paw on Robin's lap and the latter place her wing on the former's paw. They gazed at each other for what seemed like forever...soon, Robin pressed her lips against Zoro's.

 

"Mmm..." Zoro moaned.

 

Robin parted lips with the Tiger Man and he smiled. Robin smirked and asked, "How about you and I have some real fun, _Tora-kun_?"

 

" _Tora-kun_?"

 

"Is it all right if I call you that?"

 

The swordsman smiled.

 

"You can call me whatever you want," he answered as he pulled Robin close to him. "I don't mind."

 

Zoro smirked.

 

"And about your offer," he added. " _Let's do it, mamacita._ "

 

"You speak Spanish?" Robin asked, surprised.

 

" _Si,_ " Zoro grinned. " _I learned some while I was out at sea._ "

 

Robin smiled.

 

"I like it." she said.

 

She stood up, holding Zoro's paw, and led him to the Women's Quarters. Then, she closed the door.

 

"Oh, boy, here we go." muttered Usopp.

 

Luffy blinked at the door..before he turned his gaze on Nami.

 

"Before you ask," Nami started. "do you really think we're ready for that next step?"

 

"...Good point." Luffy answered. "I'll wait."

 

"Thank you, baby," responded the navigator as she gave her captain a light kiss on his left cheek. "It'll be worth it, one day. Trust me."

 

"I trust you." Luffy smiled.

 

*****In the Women's Quarters*****

 

Robin and Zoro were in the middle of making out.

 

"Haaa...!" Robin moaned as Zoro kissed her with tongue.

 

_Just let me love you tonight_

 

   Her wings draped around his neck, further deepening the kiss. At that instant, she began to pull off his shirt and the Crane Woman proceed to kiss down his chest and on his scar.

 

_Forget about tomorrow_

 

Promptly, Zoro started to pull off her Galley-La shirt and he placed a paw on her perky can, earning a moan from Robin.

 

"Zoro...!"

 

Next, Zoro began massaging her melon. Robin squeaked and chewed her lip. Zoro even gave her nip a light tweak and pull.

 

"Ahhh...!!" Robin cried.

 

To silence her, Zoro caught her lips with his own as they kissed once more.

 

_My darling, won't you hold me tight_  
_And never let me go_

 

"Mmmm...!!"

 

All of a sudden, Zoro slowly removed his pants and boxers. He did the same with Robin.

 

_Dry your eyes_  
_No tears, no sorrow_

 

He kept kissing her as he did so.

 

_Cling to me with all your might_  
_And never let me go_

 

   Abruptly, he lifted Robin up by her legs and held her against the wall as he made out with the archaeologist. He then pressed his paws against her girls and gave them a good squeeze. Robin let out an erotic gasp as she clung to the swordsman.

 

At that moment...Zoro placed a condom on his wang and slowly entered Robin.

 

"Mm...!" Robin moaned. "Zoro~!"

 

"Easy, mama," Zoro whispered. "We don't want everyone to hear us, now do we?"

 

"Sorry, _Tora-kun_." Robin apologized. "It's just...I'm a bit sensitive, you see."

 

"You are?" Zoro asked.

 

"Mm," Robin nodded.

 

"Oh," muttered Zoro. "I see."

 

"Is that a problem?"

 

Zoro shook his head.

 

"No," he answered. "I'll just move a little slower, this time."

 

Robin smiled.

 

"Thank you, Zoro."

 

"You're welcome."

 

Zoro changed his pace to a slow one and Robin made soft, pleasured groans.

 

"Mmm...haa...!"

 

_A million times or more_  
_We said we'd never part_

 

"Zoro..."

 

"You like that, huh?"

 

"Yes, Tiger..."

 

_But lately I find_  
_You're a stranger, stranger in my heart_

 

   The Tiger Man and the Crane Woman kissed as the former moved in and out of her. Robin panted quietly as he did so, her wing clutching Zoro's paw.

 

_Give me the right_  
_In summer or in spring time_  
_To tell the world you are mine_

 

"Yes...yes...!"

 

"Oh, god...you sound so sexy when you moan like that...god, I love it!!"

 

Robin felt her cheeks growing hot at Zoro's compliment.

 

"Come on," he whispered into her ear. "Moan again for me, baby...let me hear that voice, again...! Do it!"

 

He began to kiss and suck on Robin's neck while moving at the same time.

 

"Aaaaahhh...! Oh, god...!! Yes...yes...yes...!!!"

 

"Yeah...that's it...! That's what I'm talking about, Robin!"

 

"Oh, god...oh, god...! Zoro...faster...! Go faster! I'm almost there!"

 

"You got it!"

 

His pace went from slow to fast in a millisecond.

 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~!!!!!!!!!! YES!!! OH, GOD, YES!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS~!!!!!!!!!!"

 

Her legs wrapped around his waist, making him go in even deeper.

 

_And you will never let me go_  
_And never let me go_

 

Zoro kissed her as they continued to go at it. Robin draped her free wing around her beau's neck as their tongues wrestled.

 

*****Meanwhile, outside*****

 

Usopp is covering Chopper's ears.

 

"Good lord," he muttered. "have they no shame?"

 

"Seriously!?" Nami questioned. "Can they BE any louder?!"

 

Sanji was seething as he gripped the railing.

 

"That Moss Head Bastard's violating Robin- _chan_ all over again...!" he hissed.

 

"Jeez, Louise...!" Franky muttered. "What a bunch of horn dogs!"

 

Luffy didn't seem to be paying any attention. He was too busy sitting on his special seat.

 

*****Back inside*****

 

Zoro proceeded to ram into Robin's womanhood.

 

"AAH!! AAAAH!! AAAAAHH!!!"

 

   They were reaching their limit...and then...the dams gave way. Robin cried out when she had her big moment. Then, she slumped against Zoro, panting breathlessly.

 

_'Damn...didn't think she'd be worn out this much...'_ the swordsman thought.

 

"You okay?" he asked.

 

"Yeah...just a little drained..." Robin panted.

 

In a flash, Zoro scooped Robin into his arms, bridal style, and she yelped a bit in surprise before she held onto him.

 

"Relax," Zoro told her. "Don't panic."

 

   Robin relaxed a little as she rested her head on Zoro's shoulder and afterwards, the Tiger Man walked her over to her bed and gently set her down. He pulled the blanket over themselves and he held Robin close, and at that point, he kissed her forehead, causing her to smile.

 

"This lets you know that you'll always be safe with me," he whispered. "Always, Robin."

 

"Thank you, Zoro."

 

"You're welcome, Robin. _Oyasumi_."

 

" _Oyasumi_."

 

Subsequently, the Tiger and the Crane drifted off into a calm slumber. Both of them were having pleasant dreams, dreams about each other.

 

   Robin smiled contently as she slept in Zoro's arms, for she knew that she was safe...safe in her Demon's arms. Because Robin was his flower...and he would protect her, always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of _The Demon and the Flower_.
> 
>  
> 
> It's been a long and crazy ride and we thank each and everyone of you for sticking with us throughout it all.
> 
>  
> 
> "Never Let Me Go" by Luther Vandross
> 
>  
> 
> We hope that you all enjoy the final chapter of _The Demon and the Flower_. ^^

**Author's Note:**

> After writing _Freedom_ , I thought, _'Why not make one for Zoro and Robin?'_


End file.
